Sweet Misery
by ALCzysz17
Summary: After losing her father to supposive 'suicide', Ino just needs to get away from Konoha and the looks of shame directed her way. The getaway place? Suna. Can Ino survive the desert, it's ninjas, and finish her secret mission? Oh sweet misery... Ino-centric, GaaIno, AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**I am not giving up on this story or any of my others I just fell out of reading/watching/writing Naruto and so I sort of stopped plus real life was knocking at my door. But I am back and I will finish these stories even if it kills me, which it just might. Lol!**

**I decided to rewrite this story to better tweak it and for it to make more sense considering when I wrote this I was about 17 around that time. My writing has gotten much better and my style a bit sharper. Plus rereading the original myself made my head spin. It was all over the damn place! And so I am restarting this from scratch. **

**Please enjoy and let me know how you like it!**

**ALSO I have not read the recent manga and so I will be breaking off of cannon after Neji dies. I read somewhere that Inoichi and Shikamaru's dad dies but I'm not sure. This is a different point much further down the line from the war and everything. I will have talk of the war but to make this story work Inoichi and Shikaku are still alive cause that pisses me off that he killed them off! So many unnecessary kills! Anyhow, I haven't been reading the recent manga for a while now so please bare with me.**

**Sweet Misery**

**Chapter 1**

**I need a vacation**

Ino stood before the Hokage and Shizune as she explained everything to them. Both the Lady Hokage and Shizune listened patiently to the younger blonde's words.

"You see Lady Tsunade I just feel like with everything that has gone on and the recent death of my…father…I just feel maybe a vacation is in order." Ino concluded with her throat starting to close up on her. It had only been two weeks since they buried her father and it took everything in herself to not choke up and cry. Shizune frowned lightly.

"But Ino you are already on an extended leave of absences." Ino nodded. In other words the long term for vacation.

"Yes, I know but what I mean is could I finish the remainder of my vacation somewhere else…that's not here…" Tsunade stayed quiet through the speech just listening attentively. She understood what Ino was saying and her reasoning for the vacation but… Tsunade frowned hadn't she once said that too only to never return…

"Do you have a place in mind?" The older blonde asked placing her hands under her chin in a show of intrigue. Ino shook her head lightly.

"I hadn't thought of a single place I could go. Honestly anywhere is better than being here at the moment." Her voice dropped lower almost speaking softly. This was not the same Ino Yamanaka who would loudly gossip and brighten up a room with her smile. Her face which once always held a happy smile or arrogant grin was nothing but a thin line. Her eyes that shined so brightly with life were dull and almost lifeless seeming. Though she wore her usual ninja attire her clothes looked worse for wear. There were wrinkles in certain areas and it looked like she may have just slept in them last night. Even her hair had seen better days. Her usual high ponytail was drooping low from her head and her hand had kinks all through it. Ino Yamanaka looked like hell.

"How about Suna?" Shizune offered up out of the blue. Tsunade blinked before looking to the woman on her left with a raised eyebrow.

"Suna?" Shizune smiled encouragingly and nodded.

"Yes why not? We have been allies for so long and they've been with us through thick and thin. We know the Kazekage and his family personally too! Plus this could also be taken as a learning experience for you Ino." Ino blinked slowly. She would like to beg to differ. Suna was not exactly her vacation spot paradise. Of course she knew the sand siblings well enough. Temari happened to be dating her lazy teammate Shikamaru, but to vacation there for three months?

"I think that is a great idea Shizune. This could be a great character building vacation for you Ino and something I think you'll come to appreciate in due time. Plus this can even double as a mission of sorts so at the very least you can make some money while away." Tsunade smiled more as she thought about it; she stood quickly and searched around the room for some scrolls and other items. "Actually with Shikamaru going to the hidden Mist village for their holding of the chunnin exams you would make the perfect replacement for him as village liaison! Though you'll be staying there much longer than the usual still this would help both you and the village."

Ino blinked slowly trying to keep up with her Hokage. How did her vacation away from the village meant for relaxing and distressing to a mission between the two villages? Her head was starting to spin though that could also be from not eating anything for the day and her late night. Ino jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned to see Shizune standing to her right and getting ready to leave the office.

"Don't worry too much Ino this isn't meant to be much responsibility just something for you to do while you are there." Her hand squeezed her shoulder lightly before leaving the office. The blonde almost felt like the older woman had read her mind for a moment there.

"Ino." She turned back around to face her Hokage. She was now sitting at the desk having finished gathering whatever it was she needed to make preparations for Ino's departure. "I hope you don't mind me doing this, it only makes it easier for you to stay at Suna longer than a month. You don't exactly need to do anything more than you need too." Ino smiled lightly and nodded.

"No Lady Tsunade I understand, honestly I think you both are right this will be good for me." Tsunade returned her smile.

"I just need to send word that you will be coming and for them to send back our other liaison. It will take a few days I'll call you back in when I get word." Ino nodded her understanding and briefly bowed.

"Thank you Lady Tsunade for everything I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem dear. Just get ready for my call."

With that said Ino exited the Hokage office and left the building. She decided to hit the hospital first knowing that she might have some duties there for the remainder of the day. She would let her team know about her vacation/mission at dinner that night. She was going to Chouji's for dinner and Shikamaru's family would be there too. It brought a smile to her lips knowing that even if the last of her family was gone she still had her extended family. It was hard for her though with her father gone she had to move back into the family house behind the flower shop and also take care of the family business. Though she did have to workers hired there she would need to hire another, luckily one of the ladies that worked for the shop knew all the opening and closing procedures along with handling the money.

Ino was gonna have to give her a raise before she left for three months. Her mind started to wander to her father. Inoichi Yamanaka. Her heart ached at the thought of never seeing his happy face again or hearing his bad jokes, or even feeling his warm crushing hugs. A tear escaped down her cheek where she quickly wiped it away. Last night became almost unbearable. Ino ended up drinking the night away and having Kiba (her drinking buddy) help her back to her family home only for her to become a sobbing mess. Luckily he had thought to call someone and soon enough Hinata was there comforting her and keeping her hair out of her face as she threw up in the toilet. Kiba stayed long enough to help Ino in bed but had to leave for a mission the next day.

Hinata stayed the night though helping her stay hydrated and sobering her up. They talked for hours and it was during one of the talks that the idea for a much longer vacation away from the village came to her mind. Hinata mentioned how she had went on a vacation months after Neji died and the war with Obito and the Akatsuki was over with. Ino thought about it most of that night thinking of leaving the village for a little while just to collect herself. She hadn't slept the first week she found out her father had died on a mission saving Shikamaru's father. It felt like she had a never ending pool of tears leaking out of her eyes that first week. Her heart felt broken and though they did kill the ninja that took her father's life it still left her bitter and depressed.

Of course she held no ill will towards Shikaku. If anything he was feeling survivor's guilt for one of his best friends saving his life. He also made it his mission to be there for Ino and his wife, Yoshino felt much the same including Chouji's family. It helped greatly more than Ino thought them being there for her helped. Her friends also helped make her feel better but there was always going to be bad days and last night had been one of them. There was only so much the people she loved and cared for could do for her and right now she needed to do something for herself. If leaving just to get away from it all would help Ino find and regain herself again then she was going to do it.

Upon entering the hospital she was greeted by chaos.

Medics, nurses, and doctors were running around everywhere and there were many ninjas being carted around on gurneys. Ino visibly flinched when one ninja was pushed by quickly and his leg broken; his shin bone was protruding out of his skin and pointing upward. That looked quite painful.

Ino dodged the chaos and got to the nurses counter to see what she could do to help. The medic-nin running the front counter at the moment smiled in relief when Ino came into sight.

"Oh thank goodness you're here! Sakura's busy attending to some other patients but we have so many coming in and not enough qualified medics working today." The blonde nodded and grabbed the clipboard that was handed to her.

"What's with all this chaos?" Ino questioned as she looked over the names on the roster. She sucked in some breath then she saw Lee and Shino's names on there but there weren't under the critical list and she breathed better seeing that.

"There was a big explosion not too far from the village walls apparently there were some missing nin coming near the village. Luckily there was a team already out there to greet them and a fight ensured. Then there was another explosion and this is the result." Ino nodded and quickly walked off. Sakura seemed to be taking care of the more at risk ninja's so Ino went to the others on the list. Though it was pretty biased Ino couldn't help but check in on Lee and Shino first before hitting the other ninja's.

Shino's room came up first so she opened the door after grabbing the clipboard hanging on the door.

"All this and you bumped your head?" Ino commented looking up from the paper. Shino sat there in his mesh shirt with his two coats lying down on the bed around him. He nodded slow and touched the back of his head.

"The explosion had sent me into a tree. I feel fine but the medics insist I get my head checked out." Ino smiled lightly and came over to the bug wielder. Her hand glowed a light green as she touched the back of his head. There was definitely a knot there but otherwise the skull was fine and there were no fractures. She helped the blood thin out a little to keep from bruising and swelling. After a minute she pulled back and pushed her long bangs out of her face.

"That should do it. Your head's going to be tender for the rest of the day but otherwise you're fine now. Did you get checked out overall?" Shino lightly touched the back of his head then nodded to her question. "Then you're good to go Shino."

Ino smiled lightly to herself before going down the hall towards Lee's room. He wasn't much further down from Shino's room so she got there in no time.

Of course knowing Lee and his history of being in the hospital Ino knew what to expect when she opened his door. There he stood downing squats with his right arm in a sling and a bandage wrapped around his skull. He stopped only briefly to smile at Ino before continuing his exercising. The blonde sighed deeply before closing the door behind her.

"I would yell at you to stop but that would probably just be a waste of breath huh." Ino stated looking over his checkup paper. He sprained his wrist in the explosion and banged up his head much like Shino's. Lee only smiled brighter at her comment before stopping for her sake and sitting back on the bed.

"I had gotten bored waiting; there is nothing better to do than exercise." Lee smiled his charming good guy smile as she rolled her eyes.

"Well just let me check you over and then you can be off." Nodding he allowed Ino to check his wrist over which had only swollen slightly and then his skull that didn't have much but a semi-deep cut in the back. She quickly patched him up. "Okay you're good to go but no workouts that cause you to either use your arms or running. We don't need you passing out." Lee frowned at her command but quickly brighten.

"Then I shall make it a challenge! There are plenty of other exercises I can do that do not require the use of my arms or running! Thank you Ino!" He gave her a one arm hug and quickly high-tailed it out of the hospital. She laughed at his enthusiasm and left that room as well. She couldn't very well blame him for not wanting to be there any longer. Even though she worked at the hospital a lot it still made her uncomfortable to be there.

Pushing those thoughts from her mind she got back to work heading off to the other ninjas' that needed patching up.

By the end Ino was feeling tired and hungry. She managed to catch Sakura who was feeling much like herself so they took a protein bar and bottled water up to the roof for their break.

"I think I need to brush up on my reading more, fixing that guy's broken leg took way more chakra then it honestly should have. I think I'm getting rusty." Sakura stated taking a healthy bite out of her bar. Ino rolled her eyes and swallowed her bite before replying.

"Well you had worked on four other ninjas' who's injuries were just as bad, you might have just lost track of how much chakra you actually used." The pink hair teen nodded and then shrugged.

"I suppose you could be right…ugh I feel like I live here sometimes." Ino laughed at that and lightly shoved her best friend over.

"You do live here! They literally have a room just for you to sleep over in." Sakura laughed as well though sadly it was actually very true. She then turned her green eyes on Ino with intent.

"So what was it you wanted to tell me?" The blonde shrugged lightly and took her time drinking some water just to annoy the other girl before answering.

"Oh well I talked to the Hokage today. I asked for an extended vacation…" Sakura frowned slightly and placed her food down on the crate between the two girls.

"How extended are we talking here? Another few weeks?" Ino copied her actions and placed her food down and out of the way. Turning more directly towards Sakura, she placed her hands in her lap and looked down.

"Well I sort of asked for a vacation away from the village. Lady Tsunade is giving me three months though now it's going to double as a mission too…" Ino looked up and watched as the emotions played in her best friends face. Sakura didn't know what to think honestly. Of course she understood where Ino was coming from but to leave the village? Then again she couldn't really question the girl. Had her father died she would probably be much the same way. It made Sakura secretly happy that her parents weren't ninjas.

"So…where are you going then?" Ino let her breath out softly; she hadn't realized she was holding it in waiting for the other girl to speak. After a moment she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Oh well Lady Tsunade thought Suna would be a good place for me to stay." Sakura gave her a funny look.

"Really? I mean I know were in fall and winter will be coming soon so being somewhere hot would be nice but…that's pretty much a desert." Ino nodded her agreement and dropped her shoulders.

"Yeah it wasn't my first thought when vacation came to mind. But she felt that I could learn something so she's making me double as a Konoha village liaison so I could get paid while being there." Ino explained crossing her arms in front of her chest and looking to the sky.

"Ha! Sounds like Tsunade just made it as an excuse so you wouldn't get lazy Ino-pig!" Said girl choked for a moment and then glared at the playful look on Sakura's face.

"Yeah Forehead girl! Well maybe I wanted something to do! We'll see who's lazy! I'll be ten times better when I come back!" Both girls shot up to standing and glared at each other for a few long seconds.

Then they burst out laughing at each other.

"Well as much as I hate to say this I will miss you Ino." Ino smiled at Sakura before pulling her into a hug. The pinkette squeezed her blonde friend tightly before they let go and continued eating their meal…

"You look tired…" Shikamaru commented as he walked with Ino from the hospital. She punched his shoulder and gave him a glare as he returned it while rubbing his arm.

"Wow you're such a charmer Shikamaru! You must have all the girls eating out of your palms." He rolled his eyes at her sarcasm.

"Just stating facts." He commented back with a smirk. The sun was setting behind them and it was growing colder as nightfall came. Ino sighed softly and they both walked in silence for a good few minutes as they headed towards the Akimichi clan houses. Shikamaru looked at her from the corner of his eyes. He sighed as well.

"Something on your mind." He stated blandly as though he didn't actually care for an answer and was just saying it for the added effect. Of course Ino knew otherwise and frowned.

"Mmm…I hate when you do that." She commented back crossing her arms in front of her. Her feet started dragging as she thought about what to say to her best guy friend.

"Well?" He prompted with inpatients.

"I went to see Lady Tsunade today." Ino started out sort of testing the waters with him. Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders with indifferences.

"What for?" He pressed on matching her slowed pace so as to not lose her during their walk. Ino bit her lip knowing how he was going to react.

"I wanted to extend my leave to a vacation…" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"Ok-ay…" He then brought his hand out to the air, "This warrants a deep thought process?" Ino huffed and tighten her crossed arms.

"Don't be an ass! And yes it does because I'm going to be leaving the village for three months or so…" Shikamaru abruptly stopped walking altogether, this time looking to be in deep thought. Ino turned around quickly to watch his thought process. He then turned his dark eyes up to look into her brighter ones.

"Ino-."

"Don't you dare start Shikamaru!"

"You don't need to-."

"Yes I do!"

They both glared at each other. After a long moment Shikamaru let his eyes drop and went from his tense stance to his usual default of slouching. Ino also relaxed a little and let up on her glaring. A deep sigh interrupted the silence.

"Leaving won't change anything." He finally said. Ino felt like something exploded inside her, all of the emotions she had been holding in that were just bubbling under the surface started to erupt all at once. First came the anger.

"I know that! But staying here and dwelling about it won't help either. I need time away…" Ino reverted back to crossing her arms once more.

"Ino sometimes normalcy is all you need."

"Shikamaru I can't!" He jumped at the volume of her voice. Ino stood there trying to hold it all in but once the damn got a crack everything just seemed to fall apart after that. Her eyes became glossy and her face started turning to a deep shade of red. "I can't go to our shop and know that he'll never be there! Or-or-or go to the house and not get greeted with a hug! I can't keep acting like I'm fine when I'm not! I just can't do it anymore! It's just so…hard! Harder than Asume…" Ino finished tears rolling down her cheeks. She was shaking from her emotions. Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck a little awkwardly.

"Jeez Ino…why the hell did you hold all this in?" He walked up to her and pulled his best friend into his arms letting her cry on his shoulder. He hated emotional shit like this but he wasn't cold hearted. Ino sobbed into his shoulder and his grip on her tightens. He could feel her fingers digging into his sides as she let all the emotions she was holding in all out. Letting the front she showed everyone over the last few weeks come down and showed just how truly affected she was by her father's death.

Ino couldn't stop her crying even if she wanted to and she really wanted too! All she could think was that she is a ninja; she shouldn't be showing emotions much less cry and out in the open no less. But she couldn't hold it in anymore. As she had yelled to Shikamaru she kept telling herself not to cry but all it did was work her up to crying. Another choked sob escaped her lips. It just wasn't fair! It was bad enough that she lost her sensei only a few years earlier and now her father. It just wasn't fair.

"You should have said something Ino." Shikamaru tried not to wince when he felt her tears soak through his vest and into his shirt underneath.

"I…di-dn't want everyone to w-w-orry about me…" She mumbled out brokenly trying to collect herself as best she could. Though she hated that she cried so shamelessly out in the open she felt much better. All the stress of the day and the painful, troublesome feelings that swelled inside her for the last few weeks just seemed to melt away as the last of her tears dripped from her eyes. It took her a few moments before she pulled away from Shikamaru and quickly started to wipe at her moist cheeks, her face covered in splotchy red spots from crying.

"We maybe ninja but were not emotionless no matter how much they tried to embed that into our heads as kids. When you need to cry there's nothing that can be done about it." He smiled lightly and brought his long sleeve up and helped wipe away the tears dripping down her chin. "Count yourself lucky it was me you cried in front of and not some random shinobi." Ino laughed a little pushing his hand away as her face became dried up.

"They might end up panicking; most guys don't know how to handle a crying woman." Shikamaru joined her laughter before giving her shoulder a light grip of assurance.

"Let's start heading to Chouji's before they start worrying about where we are." Ino nodded her agreement and once more they were on their way. The cool air felt nice on her hot face and she felt lighter than before.

"So where is it that you're going to vacation at?" Shikamaru asked as an afterthought, his hands were placed in his pockets as they walked so he shrugged his shoulders to her once more acting like he didn't really care for the answer.

"Suna." He made a face at the answer.

"Really? Not exactly a vacation hotspot." Ino rolled her eyes and waved him off.

"Not much choice in the matter honestly but I leave in the next few days…"

They continued on like that making small talk between each other for the remainder of their trek to the Akimichi household. Ino smiled to herself as they made the right turn off the main path towards Chouji's parent's home. Having Shikamaru talk with her made her feel more at ease with her decision, allowing her to feel like she was doing the right thing for herself. Now all she had to do was survive telling his parents, and Chouji plus his parents. They were all like a big family for Ino. She hadn't even gotten time to herself because they were constantly there giving her some sort of comfort like cooking food, going shopping, or just talking about the latest gossip. It really brought a sense of normalcy. But the thing was that nothing was ever going to really be the same anymore. The first generation of Ino-Shika-Cho was now missing its Ino and it was going to be that way for the rest of their lives.

It was something that Ino just couldn't wrap her mind around. He was never going to be there anymore. Who's going to walk her down the aisle one day? Who was going to give her that fatherly love and compassion that could only come from her father? What was she going to do now?

Ino knew exactly what she was going to do. She was-

"Temari's going to be in Suna so at least you know someone there." Shikamaru mumbled out to Ino as they got closer to the house. She nodded.

"Yeah, thank goodness for that! I think I might go insane or really loose it if I didn't have at least one female friend there." Ino placed her hand on her chest as though thanking some God out there for that one blessing. Shikamaru scoffed at her before shrugging his shoulders. She knew he hated his girlfriend being away, but that's what came with a long distance relationship. Only those two could actually make something so impossible…well possible.

Shikamaru was too lazy to cheat on Temari much less think about it and it seemed he had the fan wielding woman wrapped around his finger funny as that was. Ino couldn't believe how into him Temari seemed to be, it was cute and sweet but very strange to witness. And even if someone were to witness it if you didn't know the two personally then you wouldn't really get what you were looking at. It was sort of like they were playing hard to get with each other constantly. Shikamaru would act like he didn't care but it was the look in his eyes that gave him away and Temari would come off brass and arrogant when talking with him but it was the way her eyes brighten at the sight of him and how they both leaned into each other that truly told you that they were definitely into one another.

This took Ino months to figure out when they first came out with dating each other.

"Is it me or did that walk feel like forever." Ino rolled her eyes and proceeded to the front door.

"You say that every time." She commented back to the lazy teen that once more shrugged his shoulders and then yawned into his hand as they both entered the warm and wonderfully smelling house. "Hey! Were here!" Ino called out loudly gaining a wince from Shikamaru who was standing beside her. She smiled at the reaction and walked to the busy kitchen.

Inside were Chouji and his mother, racing around with food on the stove, food on the counter, and pretty much food everywhere honestly. Watching the two cook with so much energy and enthusiasm brought a smile to Ino's face. Shikamaru gave a slight bark of a laugh at the site and moved to sit down at the kitchen table away from the chaos surrounding them. Chouji looked up from chopping some vegetables and smiled to his two best friends and teammates.

"Hey guys! You got here a little late." Shikamaru rolled his eyes and explained to his bigger friend about Ino taking too long at the hospital. Said blonde gave him a heated glare as she started placing the silverware around the big table. "Oh Shikamaru don't complain! At least you got here." Chouji laughed at the disgruntled look on his best friends face before turning away to continue cooking. His mother was racing around chopping things, stirring things, and seasoning things. Ino completed her job quickly and sat down in a chair beside the lazy teen.

"At least you didn't have to do much of anything today. It was hectic in the hospital so I couldn't help being held over a little longer than usual." Ino brought her long hair over her shoulder and started to run her fingers through the long light golden strands. She scoffed slightly at the split ends near the bottom length of her hair. A trim was needed and soon.

"Yeah, yeah I hear it all the time. That's what you get for deciding to be a medic-nin you're too busy taking care of others to do anything for yourself…" Ino raised an eyebrow as she stared at Shikamaru; he didn't turn to her and kept his sight on the wall by the sink. It sounded at first like he was complaining like usual but then it got lost at the end. It almost sounded like he was concerned about her which Ino knew he would be but she never thought he was ever concerned about how many hours she worked in the hospital. It was sort of an eye opener. He wouldn't look her way so she could read his face but she just assumed he was embarrassed.

"Thanks Shika…" He only shrugged in return before starting up a conversation with Chouji leaving Ino to her thoughts.

It wasn't long before the door banged open loudly. Soon enough Shikamaru's parents, Shikaku and Yoshino walked in carrying what looked like dessert. Kurenai was behind them holding her little boy, Kokuou who was squirming to get on the ground and run around. Chouji's father, Choza was bringing up the rear. The kitchen became even more chaotic with more voices chatting happily and one little boy running around everyone's ankles.

He came to a stop in front of Ino before forcing the older girl to pick him up onto her lap. She smiled at the little boy. He looked so much like Asume that it was sort of scary looking at him. He definitely had his father's face but had his mother's eyes. He smiled happily in her lap and she hugged him to her chest.

"Heard the hospital had a bit of a rush, everything alright darling?" Shikaku commented walking over to Ino to kiss her on top of her head. Both of Inoichi's teammates had always called her 'darling' or 'sweet heart' or something like that. It always made her smile when she was younger but even now as she was older it brought a smile to her face, though there was a terrible thumping ache sounding in her chest. She drew in some breath and willed away the horrible feeling.

"Yeah it got pretty busy but nothing I couldn't handle." Ino quickly replied back. She fiddled with her hair again as she watched the adults converse with each other while Chouji's Mom started bringing food over from the stove to the set up table. Kokuou squirmed in her arms for a second before she allowed the wiggling youngster on the floor. Kurenai was quick to snatch him up afterwards.

"Oh no you don't little one. It's time for dinner." Shikamaru came to stand helping the older woman with the high chair to place the child in. Ino laughed lightly as Kokuou gave a very annoyed expression upon his tiny face, his eyes scrunched up, and his mouth turned into a pout. Kurenai joined her laughter while setting the detachable table to the chair locking him in.

"Someone not get his nap in today?" Shikamaru questioned rubbing his forehead as Kokuou started squirming even more in his seat. Kurenai sighed and shook her head.

"Actually he may have slept little too much." Kurenai turned to get a sippy cup for him while Ino and Shikamaru watched the agitated toddler. Giving the boy a ruthful smile Ino couldn't help but ask, "Makes you wanna have one huh?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow giving her a deadpan look as if to say 'yes just dying too.'

"Not till I'm thirty…" He said back, backing out of the way of Chouji who was bringing over a giant bowl full of steamed sticky rice to the table. Ino scooted her chair out of the way to make room.

"Okay everyone get seated the food is done!" Chouji's Mom shouted out above the chattering voices.

Before long everyone was sitting around the table and enjoying the meal prepared. Ino smiled warmly to herself as she watched everyone interact. Shikamaru was talking to his father about some mission they had together that was coming up while Chouji devoured his food going to seconds before too long. Choza, much like his son, was devouring his dinner too though somehow holding a conversation with his son. It made Ino sad that she could not also talk with her father like her best friends currently were. Chouji's Mom, Yoshino, and Kurenai were talking about other things such as house work and even children (most likely because of Kokuou who Kurenai was feeding while eating herself). She was going to miss this. Having her second family here talking, eating, laughing…

Ino abruptly stood up drawling everyone's attention. It was now or never.

"Everyone I have something to announce."…

* * *

Gaara blinked down at the paper in his hand. He stared at it for a long moment as though trying to comprehend what was written there. He knew what he was looking at, just confused about it was all.

The Hokage wanted to change out her village liaison? With another ninja who would be staying in the village for a few months. Normally the liaisons stayed for a month tops before heading back to their respective village. It was not common to be there longer. Lady Tsunade didn't dive into anything really specific about the reasons behind the longer period only that the ninja was emotionally compromised and needed time away from the village. That disturbed Gadara a bit. He recognized the name and could very vaguely put a face to the name, Ino Yamanaka but he couldn't remember what she was like.

Her name had been mentioned by Temari a few times and he knew her to be his sister's boyfriend's female teammate and best female friend aside from the bigger teen, Chouji. He wasn't exactly sure what Suna could give to Yamanaka that her own village couldn't give her? It may have something to do with her being emotionally compromised but it didn't make his decision any easier. Should he approve? Or turn them away?

"I can't believe I'm doing this…"

* * *

**I** hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter redone! I wanted to keep the idea but revise it to something different with a little more meaning behind it. Plus I'm older so I can see that the story was sort of put together childishly kind of like 'Everything you want'. But I won't be rewriting that being as far into it as I am. This story though since I hadn't gotten too deep in I can still pull out and restart with a more well thought out plot and plan for the story.

Also I used the name _Kokuou _for Kurenai's child because it's translated from Japanese to English for 'King' which is what Asuma had called his child for Shikamaru to protect (I can't remember if it's in the English translated manga or Japanese?) but that's why I chose that name.

Let me know what you guys think! Hopefully the second chapter will be out soon! I'm out…

LostsoulofRegret ^_~


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Sweet Misery**

**Chapter 2**

For the next few days Ino had to endure lesson after lesson about being the village liaison. She had no idea how much there truly was to being a representative of her village. She was starting to feel for Shikamaru, it really was such a drag. There was so many things she had to learn, behaviors she needed to know and/or stop (at least when being formal), and lots and lots of handwork. Practically every day she would be writing some type of report for either her village or Suna. Ino was not looking forward to that. Her brain was starting to hurt from all the things she had to learn throughout the week. Of course having Shikamaru there helped out a bunch. He was giving her shortcuts and advice on how to write certain reports or how to handle the delgits.

'My brain feels like it's going to explode.' Ino thought tiredly as she stifled a yawn by holding her breath. She idly looked down and picked at the loose thread on her skirt.

"Yamanaka are you listening?!" Ino flinched at the yell and nodded automatically though she had been zoning out more often than actually listening.

Tsunade frowned at the almost vacate look in the younger blonde's eyes. She rubbed her forehead irritably.

"Look I know this is really boring but you only have two more days before you leave. We need to get this hammered into your head!" Ino sighed. She understood that but everything was all formalities, and presentation.

All Ino had to really do is look good, be formal, and go into meetings about better relations between the villages. That part all she had to do was sit there and listen. There was another village liaison there that would still be there for her first month. The second liaison she would be replacing so she wouldn't necessarily have to partiapate that first month until after her partner left. It would all be up to her and that part almost scared the shit out of her.

"I know I just…am worried…" Tsunade raised an eyebrow in question.

"Ino that isn't like you. There's nothing for you to worry about."

"What if I cause an international incident!?" Tsunade tried her best to keep a straight face she really did, but before she knew it her head was thrown back and she was laughing at Ino's worry. Ino instantly frowned and shoot up from her chair. "What the hell Lady Tsunade! I pour my heart to you and you laugh at me!" Her red and flustered face only served to make the older woman laugh harder. She was holding her stomach and gasping for breath.

"I'm….I'm sorry…" Tears leaked from the corners of her honey colored eyes. Ino went to speak but Tsunade brought a finger up to keep her from talking. Ino huffed with her arms crossed as her Hokage tried to catch her breath, "Really Ino…" she coughed in her hand trying to conceal the smile threatening to spread across her face, "I wasn't laughing at your concerns honest, it was just the look on your face. Also if Naruto hasn't caused an incident yet then I don't think you have much of anything to worry about."

Ino kept her eyes narrowed but she knew where her Hokage was coming from. If Naruto hadn't screwed up then she didn't have to worry all that much.

"Fine…" Tsunade shook her head bringing her game face on. "Ino this is very important once you're by yourself without the other liaison everything is up to you. I need you to understand that there will be meetings about trading, communications, and there will be a lot of scrutiny upon you. You must be fair, but at the same time you can't let them walk all over you either. The Kazekage can only help you so much. He'll be in the room with you and always accompany you at all meetings but he can't decide anything for you." Tsunade turned towards her desk reseating herself and started writing in a scroll. Ino returned to her seat.

Ino knew she could do this, it wasn't as hard as everyone believed (sure there was a bunch of learning the trading, and operations plus the rules they went by but it wasn't anything none of them weren't familiar with) but a sense of nervousness ran through her at the thought. Tsunade was counting on her; the village was counting on her. It almost made her want to back out.

'No! I have a mission to do and I can't back out of this now!" Ino thought clenching her fists; she brought her eyes up to stare into Tsunade's.

"I won't let you down Lady Tsunade. I know I can do this." A smile came to the Hokage's lips. She nodded.

"Good to hear. I have some documents for you to read over about the trading system and what to expect while there. The Kazekage will have many more for you to look over once there but otherwise were done for today." Ino nodded and brought herself to stand.

She bowed towards her villages' leader before taking the scrolls containing the import information and heading out.

"Ino." Just as she was out the door the blonde turned to look over her shoulder. Tsunade held a softer smile than the last with such tenderness to her eyes that Ino was stunned to her spot. She only ever gave that smile to Naruto and sometimes Sakura. "Inoichi would be proud of you; I'm proud of you."

Ino just barely remembered to breath. Tsunade had so much trust in her it almost made her spill her guts to the older woman.

Almost.

"Thanks, that means a lot to me." Ino then left feeling a great sense of guilt overriding her earlier nervousness.

What was she gonna do?

Everything was set to motion and there was no turning back now. She had to go through with her plans; no matter what! Ino walked down the halls in the tower as she made her way out. It was so mechanical to nod in greeting and smile in reply as she went deep into thought. It was all leading down to her true mission.

Her father didn't commit suicide.

He was murdered.

She didn't know how but she knew her father would never take his own life. It had to be staged! Inoichi Yamanaka had too much to live for to even think about taking his life. He knew his clan and his name would be disgraced and he would never do that. But what was said and known about him couldn't change hard cold facts. There was a kunai in his gripped hand with his blood on it. And his throat was slit. The evidence outweighed the knowledge his friends and family had of him.

Ino just couldn't wrap her mind around it. Tsunade had personally done the autopsy on his body but there was no foreign substance that could force him to commit such a heiness crime. There was nothing she could do but label it a suicide. Many protested but to no avail. There was no way to manipulate the body once rigor mortis set in. Tears burned in the back of Ino's eyes as she made her way outside the building and to the bright sunlight outdoors.

It was just a surveillance mission, nothing out of the ordinary. Inoichi and Shikaku Nara had been the only two assigned to the mission so they all assumed nothing bad would happen. They were all wrong. Shikaku told the Hokage and council everything he knew and remembered but so some odd reason the events leading up to her father's death were wiped from his mind. Everyone started assuming that he was knocked unconscious from an unknown ninja yet the whole thing didn't make sense to her. There was something missing that just wasn't putting the pieces together.

If someone really knocked Shikaku out then why wasn't he dead too? Not that she wanted him to die, but if he was caught by surprise so suddenly then why not go for the kill instead of knocking him out? There was the possibility that Inoichi was forced to commit suicide to save his comrade, but that was very slim. Ino knew her father too well to know he would have found a way that didn't result in him killing himself. She just knew it was against his will. There was just something more going on there. No investigations were being conducted and that pissed her off even more. The more time they let pass between the horrible incident to now would only make things harder to figure out.

Shikaku knew something was amiss too.

He didn't feel like he was knocked out by a physical blow. Plus that would give him the feeling he knew something but couldn't quite remember it. Unfortunately the council had forbid Ino from invading her father's teammate's mind to figure it out. She was considered too close and emotionally compromised (she hated that damn word!) to even be considered jumping into his mind. They used another Yamanaka who wasn't quite as skilled as she was. Even Shikaku tried throwing his ass around saying Ino should be the one to check but once more it didn't help.

So now she had a new mission.

Ino was going to find out who killed her father and get revenge.

She already had Shikaku backing her up, no doubt the genius man figured her out the moment she told them all a few nights ago about her vacation/mission….

_Ino looked at everyone as they got quiet to give her their full attention. The only noise was Kokuou eating by Kurenai._

"_I decided with the way things are going that I…need a vacation." Everyone seemed to feel a bit deflated as though thinking it was going to be more than what was said. Ino rolled her eyes and went on, "I'm going to Suna for a few months for that vacation and its going to double as a mission." That perked their interest._

"_A few months? But Ino…" Chouji looked to be lost for words. Shikamaru sighed beside him._

"_It's her choice." Yoshino took a quick sip of her water._

"_Well honey what are you going to do about the shop?" Ino frowned returning to her seat._

"_I need to hire another person to run shop while I'm gone for so long I just haven't-."_

"_I would love to help out!" Yoshino suddenly interrupted her smiling brightly at the younger girl. Ino slowly returned the smile. That would surely take the stress of looking for another qualified person to take her place while gone. Plus it made perfect sense, she wondered why she hadn't asked her best friend's Mom before. Yoshino worked at the flower shop plenty of times before. Ino remembered being very young and playing with Shikamaru as Yoshino helped her Dad around the shop. She was told that the older woman and her father had been close before her meeting Shikamaru's Dad._

"_Really? Are you sure? I know you have other things going on..." Yoshino waved off her concerns._

"_It's no trouble for me to help, I have done it many times before plus it'll get me out of the house for a few hours." She gave her son and husband a wink with her impish smile. Ino felt a laugh bubble from her throat at the look._

"_Thank you so much Yoshino." _

"_Should you really be doing this Ino?" Shikaku questioned his arms were crossed over his chest with a stern look on his face. Ino forced herself to not flinch at the look and nodded her head with confidence._

"_It's something I feel I need to do and nothing," Ino's stare harden from across the table, "nothing will stop me from what I believe is right…for me…" The look on her best friend's father's face turned grim before giving her a slow nod. He understood. Ino knew he had already figured out her plans probably even before she had formed them. The Hokage forbidding her from entering his mind was the only thing that stopped them from doing it. Shikaku then smiled gently raising his drink to her. _

"_Then we should make what we have left of tonight and enjoy ourselves." Yoshino scuffed smacking her husband on the chest playfully. Shikamaru rolled his eyes but then never once left Ino's presence. She didn't have to feel the dread to know he probably had caught on to her plan too…_

"Spacing out is considered a rookie mistake Ino, even you should know that." An eye roll was her response. She turned around to found Kakashi standing behind her with his ever present book in his hand. He briefly looked up from it as if to say 'hello' before drifting quickly back to it. Ino shook her head and started walking away knowing he would fall in step with her.

"So where have you been hiding recently? Sakura says she can't find hind or tail of you lately." Kakashi shrugged his shoulders as he flipped a page over.

"She wants me to take my yearly exam…I just don't feel like it…" Ino sighed and once more rolled her eyes. Men were such babies! Shove a kunai in their shoulder and they barely flinch; show them a large syringe to take a sample of their blood and they almost faint.

"You know it's only a matter of time before she catches you. What's to stop me from turning you in?" Ino asked playfully knowing there was probably no way in hell she would be able to catch him, much less turn him in for his yearly. Kakashi looked up from his book giving her what she assumed was a 'as if' look.

"First of all, fat chance." Ino laughed lightly at his deadpan voice. "Second of all, I'll be gone from Konoha for the next few days." Ino felt her interest peek out.

"Oh? And where will you be heading?" She knew he couldn't actually tell her but it didn't exactly hurt to ask. Kakashi abruptly closed his book as he stopped walking. Ino turned around halfway raising an eyebrow in question.

"I'll be heading to Suna…as your escort." That threw her for a loop.

"What? I thought Lady Tsunade was going to send me with Naruto? He's been whining about wanting to visit for a while now…" The older man shrugged his shoulders.

"I believe a mission in the near future needs his…special attention…" Ino blinked once more. Special attention? That only meant one thing.

Sasuke Uchiha.

"Oh…okay then. Well I guess I'll see you at the front gate two days from now…" Kakashi brought his hand up in a simple 'goodbye' before disappearing from sight. Ino started off again.

She hadn't heard that name or even thought about that person for a long time now. After being declared a missing nin she kind of forgot about him. Sakura's face popped up in her mind. Not entirely forgotten though. Sakura was still head over heels for the young Uchiha even with his new status. It hurt Ino to know she couldn't exactly help her best friend out; only time could heal her wounds and no matter of medical ninjutsu could change that. Naruto on the other hand. He wasn't going to give up on Sasuke anytime soon. It wasn't a matter of convincing him as more of just catching the bastard before some other village collected his head.

Not that Ino didn't have faith in Naruto, but it was only a matter of time.

Last she heard (which wasn't all that recent maybe a few months to a year old) Sasuke was traveling around the country with his team doing what it was that he found purpose in. After coming to Konoha and killing Danzo (not such a waste there) he left almost like he never existed. Not before trying to kill his team that is. During the Fourth Ninja World War Sasuke had at first been an enemy but seeming (Naruto) had changed his mind at the last second joining the good side at the last final moment and helping them take out Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha. Kabuto was still missing. At the end Sasuke and Naruto ended up battling it out. Ino remembered watching the chaos that ensured. She still couldn't believe what she witnessed firsthand.

They both had their strengths and played to them, but were too evenly matched and Sasuke escaped. Once getting back home for celebrations they learned that while away Karin had escaped as well (most likely from the other two missing teammate's of Sasuke's).

Ino looked up into the sunlight shining brightly overhead. She brought her hand up to block most of the light from blinding her.

"Oh I wonder where Shikamaru could be hiding during this time of day." Ino questioned out loud not caring if she got random looks at her speaking to herself. She then took off from her stop easily sprinting up the side of a store before jumping across the roof tops. There wasn't a cloud in the sky so she knew he wouldn't be at one of his favorite cloud watching spots. So her first stop was his apartment.

She knocked maybe five times but there was no answer. Ino considered kicking the door down but that would be useless if he wasn't really home and she couldn't hear any movement going on in the small apartment so she guessed her lazy teammate wasn't within. Turning on heel she then set off again. She ended up visiting Asuma-sensei's grave hoping to catch her best friend only to find the spot empty. Ino gingerly fixed up the flowers lying upon the grave before running through her mind other places he could be at.

Chouji's favorite eatery was one opinion, but so was her other teammate's apartment. There was also the Nara family home to consider and tons of more places. Ino felt her head start to slightly throb.

"Guess I'll go the easy way." Ino pressed her hands together before slowly leaking her chakra outward allowing her to sense all nearby chakra signatures. She wasn't the best at this by no means, but that didn't mean she wasn't pretty damn good at it. Ino wasn't exactly a sensor ninja but knowing the mind and with the amount of precision for her jutsus allowed her to be able to somewhat pass herself off as one.

She breathed slowly through her mouth allowing her other senses to reach out while her eyes closed. The lower chakras' she picked up on were civilians with a few higher levels being ninjas. But what she was looking for was a specific chakra. One belonging to a Shikamaru Nara. Ino could expand it outward for quite aways. If she was standing in the center of Konoha she could expand her sensory abilities to maybe a mile or two right outside the wall surrounding the giant village. Clearing her mind slowly she opened herself up more to the air and atmosphere around her. She needed absolute focus otherwise she wouldn't be able to find him. Had she been a normal sensor ninja she wouldn't have to go through all this, but she wasn't so hard work and concentration was a must.

Searching for a specific chakra was quite tricky.

You had to know the person quite well to be able to recognize their chakra pattern. Everyone's chakra moved in different ways and was never the same much like DNA. Even the color could be different even though chakra for the average ninja was a light sky blue in general it could also change to lighter or darker depending on mood or strength and exhaustion. But the thing that most differed for ninja was the pattern, and so Ino was searching quickly through the surrounding chakras to find the certain pattern that belonged to her lazy teammate.

'Gotcha!' Ino thought happily dropping her stance and taking off towards Shikamaru's apartment. It seemed he had returned during her adventure of locating him. Go figure.

The blonde teen dropped down right next to his door just as it was shutting. Ino shot her hand out stopping the door completely and letting herself in. Shikamaru blinked at her and shrugged while setting a bag of food on the counter in his small kitchen.

"Why am I not surprised to see you." Shikamaru said blandly starting to put away his recently bought food as Ino walked over to sit at his kitchen table.

"I just got done with Lady Tsunade's lesson," Ino started out folding her arms on the table, "it was murder by the way. I got a scroll from her to look over and I was hoping you could help me with it. In case I don't understand something." Shikamaru nodded as he placed a bag of rice in a cabinet above the stove.

"So you're really going through with it?" He questioned next. Ino blinked in confusion before realizing what he meant.

"Uh…yeah…" Ino looked away from his piercing eyes. She knew it was only a matter of time before he confronted her about her plans. This was Shikamaru.

"You know what I'm talking about." Shikamaru stated, a frown creasing his lips and forehead.

"Ya know frowning is only going to give you wrinkles early." Ino commented as she leaned back in her seat. Shikamaru whipped around from his fridge, letting the door slam shut. She jolted in her seat but otherwise didn't move. The shadow user glared heatedly at his best friend.

"Stop joking around Ino! This is serious!" Ino flinched at the volume and tone of his voice. She instantly sat up straighter and glared with the same heat at him.

It wasn't like she didn't know what she was getting into. She knew it was serious and she knew it was dangerous too. This was something Ino needed to do. She needed to find the true killer and clear her father's name, and her family's name. As a second thought Ino realized she sort of understood Sasuke's way of thinking. Not that she thought herself an avenger or anything, but she understood his need and drive to bring justice to her family. She couldn't just walk away from this; she needed to find the bastard who killed her father much like she needed to breathe to stay alive. She knew Shikamaru understood this too; they've been here before not too long ago.

"I know it's serious! This is something I have to do Shikamaru! You of all people should know that!" Apparently Shikamaru wasn't going to be lazy and take this lying down. He walked over to stand above Ino who quickly stood as well. She wasn't going to be intimidated!

"Yes, but not alone…" His voice came out low and dark. His eyebrows knitted downward and his whole expression left in shadows. Ino tried to stay pissed off and angry at him, but she couldn't keep a grasp on those emotions.

How could she?

Shikamaru was only concerned about her. Everything he did and said was out of concern. Ino felt bad about leaving him out of the loop (that didn't stop him from figuring it out though). His father was already involved; Ino just didn't want to get anymore of the people she cared about involved in something that could potentially be dangerous. They had no idea who took her father's life and that ninja had to be strong and smart to get away with murder that looked like suicide and leave a witness who remembers nothing. That scared Ino to death, but she wasn't going to back down and she wasn't going to add anymore lives to her problem.

"I won't be alone. But even so I can do this on my own. I'm not a little kid Shikamaru." Ino scoffed at the end, crossing her arms with her head turned away. She couldn't look him in the eyes; she feared that she would start to tear up like the other day. A sigh reached her ears just as his arms encircled her in a hug.

"I just worry about you…a lot. Your one of my best friends, I can't afford to lose you…" Ino blinked away the tears watering in her eyes. She breathed in deeply and hugged him tighter. His embraces always were warm and strong, she always felt stronger and better after receiving one of them.

"Way to be mushy Shika!" Ino exclaimed in a teary voice as she tried to keep her emotions in check. It wouldn't do to cry all over Shikamaru again. After a minute they pulled away from each other smiling lightly.

Shikamaru scratched his cheek before turning away from her to go back to his food. Ino smiled happily feeling a great weight come off her chest from finally talking a little bit about this with him. She was sure Chouji would be next in confronting her before she left. At least now she would be better prepared for it too.

"So about that help…"…

* * *

**A/N:** There you go! Chapter two done! Yays! This one I had practically written most of the beginning at work when it was slow. I had like five long sheets of register tape folded in my pants pocket with this story written in it. Lol! Anywho I hope you guys like it and let me know what you think?

I've never really liked Shikamaru with Ino romantically because it just doesn't seem right to me. Their friendship is so awesome! I love reading about their friendship and interactions with each other. Their so cute! I'm out….

ALCzysz17 ^_~


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Sweet Misery**

**Chapter 3**

Ino stared up at the ceiling as her alarm went off. It didn't make a difference though, she had already been up for a few hours already. She felt tired but restless. The whole night consisted of tossing and turning with her mind not shutting off if only for an hour of sleep. Ino reached over and turned off her annoyingly loud alarm. The silence afterwards was so very deafening. She blinked slowly while pulling herself into a sitting position. A yawn shook her body as her feet touched the cold floor.

She forced herself to get up and get put together. It was going to be a long trek to Suna and she needed to get a move on now. It was six in the morning. Kakashi had come by earlier the day before to let her know that he would meet her at the gate around eight o'clock sharp. Or so she hoped.

"It would be my luck…" Ino grumbled to herself while fixing her bed up. She finished quickly, taking a shower and checking her pack once more to make sure she had everything.

Ino stopped out in the living room and looked around herself. Still being early morning it was quiet outside making it even more silent inside. The living room looked to be untouched for awhile now in which it was. Ino had avoided being alone in the area since her father's death. She even barely entered the kitchen or the shop below. She just couldn't handle being there knowing he would never be in that same room again. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about it.

Inoichi was somewhat of a clean freak. He always kept his house clean including the flower shop. He did all the cooking, cleaning, and everything in-between. Being as Ino's mother had left them when she was very young; young enough to not even remember what her mothers' face looked like. Her father never kept any pictures around and if he had them he never bothered to tell or show her. Ino knew from her best friends' fathers that Inoichi was terribly hurt by his wife leaving them. She apparently wanted something neither of them could offer her, Ino thought. And so Inoichi had to evolve himself to doing the house work and as Ino got older she did do her fair share of chores.

The house brought so many happy memories to her. She smiled sadly, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to hear her father's voice in the silent room. It scared her, to think that she might forget her father's voice, or his laugh. Ino feared that as time went by she would slowly forget all the good things about him like the twinkle in his eye when he knew something that would excite her or the stiffness of his shoulders as he punished her when she got in trouble or even the warmth and secure feeling of being in his arms. She didn't want to forget any of those things, but she knew eventually she would. Ino was sure that by then it wouldn't be that big a deal but at the moment it was.

A tear slipped down from her glistening eyes and dripped over her cheek and down off her chin. She looked down to see it had landed on her scandal darkening as it seeped into the material. A sigh escaped her lips.

"I should get going…" She mumbled out to the air and closed her eyes as though she was bidding her home 'goodbye' for now.

After a minute she turned away picking up her pack and slinging it over her shoulder. She then set off. It was a semi-quiet trip to the village's front gate. There were very few people out at the moment being that it was only seven-thirty in the morning. Ino was sure though that soon people would be walking around with smiles and greetings. Shops would begin opening for the day if they had not already earlier. The sun was slowly peaking over the trees on her left side coming to greet the morning sky that was becoming less dark and lighter as the day was beginning. She sighed before turning to look at the front gate.

Ino felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. There at the front gate were all her friends and the Hokage. Tenten and Lee were talking to Sakura as Naruto was chatting to a blushing Hinata. She could see Shino and Kiba standing off to the side with Akamaru lying on the ground. By the lone tree near the entrance was Shikamaru leaning against it with his eyes closed and arms crossed upon his chest. Chouji stood right by him as per-normal eating his favorite chips. Surprisingly Kakashi was on time (for once) having a conversation with Tsunade.

The blonde leader was nodding her head to whatever the copy-nin was saying to her. Ino felt her heart swell with happiness at seeing them al there just to see her off. Sure she expected Sakura, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Tsunade to be there, but not the rest of them. Slowly she walked towards the group as the feeling of sadness replaced her happiness. Ino knew that they all cared; all of them had been there for her in some way, shape or form after her father's death. And now she was leaving them to risk her life to find her father's killer.

She had an empty feeling in the pit of her gut. The blonde brought her hand down from holding the strap of her pack to lightly rest upon her stomach as she tried to will away the sudden sickening guilt eating away at her. For just a moment there as Ino stopped her walking (none of them had yet to notice her) the thought of coming clean crossed her mind once more.

'No! If I keep second guessing myself I'll never get anything done! I'm doing this for a reason and I'm not going to let myself die either!' Ino thought, trying to her best to boost her confidence up. The memory of her spending time with Chouji the other day flashed into her mind…

_Ino was enjoying a nice picnic with Chouji. He was chowing down on one of the many finger sandwiches they had made while waiting on Shikamaru. He was to join them soon he just needed to finish up some paperwork before hand. Ino didn't mind because that gave her a chance to talk with their bigger teammate about her true plans. She was sure he had a small idea of what she was up too, but it wasn't Chouji's style to ask her straight out. He would wait and let her take her time in telling him herself rather than badger her into it._

_Ino turned her bright blue eyes to the sunny, cloudless skies above. She knew she was going to miss this. For the next few months the scenery was going to be nothing but sand and more sand. A sigh escaped her lips and she turned to Chouji. It was now or never._

"_I'm not really going to Suna for a vacation…" Ino watched carefully waiting for some type of reaction to her words. _

_Chouji gave none what so ever. He just kept on eating as though she hadn't said a word to him. After a minute he took a long sip from his drink. Then his eyes moved to look her right in the eyes. His brown eyes held no resentment at being last to know, all there was within them was his love and concern for her._

"_I know. I may not be as smart as Shikamaru but I sort of knew something was up with you since you announced it. I mean sure you probably fooled everybody else but you can't fool me or Shika." Chouji smiled softly as a breeze drifted through the field they had setup their picnic in. Ino pulled at the grass by her side as she nodded to him. She was right; he and Shikamaru were like her brothers they (unfortunately) knew when something was up with her._

"_So…you're not going to try and stop me?" Ino questioned, she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Chouji just shrugged his shoulders letting his eyes roam the empty field._

"_I'm not sure there's anything I can say to dissuade you honestly. Plus," He turned back to catch her eyes with his, "if it had been my Dad I would feel the same way. All I can do is give you my support and worry…worry a lot." They both laughed at the end. "I believe in you Ino, so I don't have much to worry about in the end…"_

_Ino felt a real brilliant smile grace her lips. _

"_Thank you."_

Chouji believed in her and so did Shikaku and Shikamaru though reluctantly. Ino smiled lightly, she could do this.

The blonde started forward once more and smiled brighter when Sakura took notice first. The pinkette waved her hand out smiling towards Ino while gaining everyone's attention. Ino quickly reached them and was sucked into conversation as everyone came up to her wishing her luck for the mission and hoping her to be well. She could only nod to all the voices surrounding her.

Kakashi watched beside Tsunade as they waited for everyone to get what they wanted to say out.

"Tell Gaara I said 'Hi'!"

"Please Ino f-feel bett-er soon."

"Don't have too much fun in the desert! Or dry up like a prune!"

"Kiba…shut up…"

"Be careful." 'That's Shino for you, short, sweet, and to the point.'

"Watch out for Kankuro. Oh and don't forget us back home!"

"Thanks for the advice Tenten."

"Tell Gaara I look forward to our next spar. Good luck Ino and let your youthfulness shine brightly!"

"Ino, Ino! Tell Gaara I said 'Hi'!"

"Yes Naruto!"

"Watch out for Temari…"

"What's that suppose to mean? Are you two fighting again?"

"…sigh…"

"Ignore him Ino, make sure you keep up with your medical studying or I'll get ahead!"

"As if forehead!"

"Ino-pig!"

"Fat head!"

"Dumb blonde!"

"Smartass!"

"Piggly wiggly! I'm gonna miss you!"

"I'm gonna miss you too!"

Everyone sweat dropped as the two girls hugged each other tightly. Had none of them knew the girls so well the whole situation would have been quite strange.

"Please feel better." Sakura whispered in Ino's ear before pulling away with watery eyes and a sad smile. Hinata came in next giving the blonde a big, tight hug and did cry as she pulled away. Tenten squeezed in after. Once the girls were done Ino turned to the boys with an evil glint in her eyes. Her arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't care how much of a 'man' you 'boys' think you are, I will be getting a hug from each and everyone one of you. No if, ands, or buts about it."

Chouji didn't need to be told twice. He came up first giving Ino her favorite big bear hugs. She squeezed her arms around his neck tightly. "You can do this Ino. Send me letters especially if you need an ear…or eye." Ino laughed lightly with Chouji at his lame joke. She was going to miss that, his lame jokes.

She released him as Shikamaru came up for a hug and Ino couldn't help but joke how this time around she wouldn't be crying on him. The lazy-nin grumbled out a response close to something like 'Thank god'. Lee came up next giving her a nice embrace where Naruto came in after. Kiba grudgingly hugged her and Akamaru gave her a lick on the cheek. Shino was the last as he stood off to the back of the group. He was very stiff and awkward about the hug but once Ino relaxed in the short embrace he relaxed as well.

Pulling back the blonde smiled at them and thanked her friends for coming to see her out before turning away, picking up her pack that was forgotten on the ground as she got her hugs, and headed the short distance to Kakashi and Tsunade.

"Are you ready for this Ino? I expect a weekly report on your well being and a report sent to me after each and every meeting you attend. I'm counting on you." Tsunade reached over and gripped Ino's shoulder comfortingly. She nodded at the older woman.

"I can do that. Thank you Lady Tsunade." Kakashi coughed into his hand gaining their attention. He pointed to the gate nonchalantly.

"We should head out now if we want to get a good distance for the day in." Ino nodded almost grimly as she turned back to get one last look of her home and friends.

Could she really go through with this?

Ino tossed her hair behind her and smiled brightly at her friends. Yes she could! She waved goodbye to them before walking right out the front gate with Kakashi in toll. The further she walked away from the village the more important her mission became for her. It was no longer planning and revising, she was doing it. The only issue was Kakashi. Ino wanted to get a look at the area where her father died. She knew it to be in the general direction they were heading anyway, about forty miles west off the direction to Suna. Shikaku had told her before.

The blonde looked to her escort through her long bangs in thought. There was truly no way she could possibly get pass him during the day and since they were taking a leisure trek to the other village she has hope that where ever they stop for that night is close by the area. Even though it has been many weeks since the incident Ino is still hoping for some type of clue that's left behind. Something not immediately noticeable to the untrained eye. Only her eyes could possibly spot.

There was a lot of speculation about what could have possessed Inoichi to commit suicide.

Ino knew for a fact it was against her father's will. That only meant one thing; a special jutsu. Of course her thoughts ran right to her family's jutsus but that couldn't be possible. She shook her head in thought. Her clan wasn't exactly that big, neither were the Nara, and Akimichi clans which so happen to be the reason their fathers' had created the formation Ino-Shika-Cho. During the investigation her whole clan had been looked through with a fine tooth comb only to come up with no one who disliked her father as the head of the Yamanaka clan. Not to mention not one of them had been out of the village during the time of his death.

So there had to be another type of jutsu much like her own families out there.

It was possible. There were many variations of many jutsus everywhere around the world. Sometimes all it took was a different hand sign, or elemental use for a jutsu to differ from another. So Ino put herself through much reading at the shinobi library, looking up so many similar jutsus that her brain about burst from the knowledge. There were a good hand full that matched up with her mind transfer jutsu but as variations go they differed in effect. It seemed that not one of them could get the intended victim to kill themselves, at least not without killing the ninja who is using the jutsu.

And so she was back at square one.

Ino looked over to Kakashi once more. He walked casually with his oh so familiar book in his hand and his eye on it. Rolling her eyes she fought with herself for a moment about what exactly she would be getting out of asking him before just doing it.

"Kakashi-sensei." Ino called out placing her hands behind her back in somewhat an innocent pose as they walked. He didn't even lift his eye from his book as he answered.

"Yes Ino?" Sighing at only having half of his attention the blonde looked further ahead of them.

"Well…I've been thinking about my Dad's death. More specifically how he died." Ino waited for a nod or anything to let her know he was listening. She jumped at the sound of his book closing abruptly. Turning her head towards him she watched as the silver haired ninja placed his book back within his pocket and turned to look back at her.

"What about the way he died?" Kakashi questioned seeming to finally give her, his full attention to the issue.

"Oh well…I guess you already know I don't think his death is a suicide. I know he was murdered and I think…it was by a jutsu similar to my clans." Ino brought her hands back to her front and fiddled with one of her fishnet arm bands. "What do you think?"

"I think you're on to something." She almost stopped walking upon hearing that. She had no idea that Kakashi would agree with her, then again she probably should have with the controversy going on about her father's death. "Ino have I ever told you about my father." Kakashi stated placing his hands in his pockets like he didn't have a care in the world. Ino shook her head.

"No, I don't even think you've ever told Sakura or Naruto…" The copy-nin gave a short chuckle saying, "Oh yeah, I haven't." Ino palmed her forehead with a sigh.

"He committed suicide when I was young before I graduated the academy. He chose to save the life of his teammates and comrades rather than complete a mission that was rather important at the time and was looked down upon for it by many of his peers. Even his friends felt shame for him and he fell into a deep depression from all the pressure and shame. I remember his gradual fall into such a sadden state…but I didn't care because I felt ashamed that he was my father. Pretty harsh I know but back then things were much darker and harder than they are now. Anyway I watched my father grow more and more depressed before the day he took his life because of it. And because of that I know when others are suffering from depression or thinking of suicide." Kakashi coughed harshly for a moment before going on. "Your father wasn't a depressed man as far as I knew him and I knew him pretty well. I know the exact shame your clan is feeling because I've already been there before."

Ino didn't think her eyes could get wider. She couldn't believe that Kakashi was telling her any of this. It was a well known fact that he avoided talking about his father and the circumstances around his death. Of course Ino had already known about it, but for him to talk with her really touched her heart. She felt sort of closer to the older ninja knowing that he had been through with she is now going through. Many older ninja around the village did look to her with pity or shame for her family name, believing so quickly that her father was capable of committing suicide made her sick to her stomach. The only people who mattered to her knew otherwise, but that didn't change the way she felt. It was one of the reasons she wanted to get away from the village too.

"I…I don't know what to say Kakashi-sensei…" Ino felt speechless at the moment though her mind was running circles around her. Kakashi shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing, like they were talking about the weather.

"Let me help you find your father's killer." This time she did stop walking. Her heart dropped down from her body and she felt like she couldn't breathe. He knew! Gasping for some breath after a minute she brought her eyes up to meet his eye in fear.

"You knew about it…my mission…" He closed his eye in a smile and nodded.

"Shikaku told me yesterday." Another shrug. "I already knew you would try something being in another village, but you are more limited there too. So after talking with him I decided I wanted to help you as much as I can. I get many missions outside the village and I can help scope out further for you." Ino blinked slowly before her legs gave out. She collapsed to the ground as her mind tried to understand what it was being told. Kakashi knew about her mission and he wanted to help. It was rather simple but seemed so complex to her. Then a thought came to her.

"Will you take me to the place where my Dad died?" Ino asked keeping her head bowed. It would be so much easier now with Kakashi on board though that was yet another person involved with her plans. It just seemed that she couldn't keep others out no matter what she did. Who was next? The Kazekage? Yeah right!

"I was already planning on it. If we move our trek to the trees we could get there before sunset. I don't think you will find anything, but it's worth a shot." Ino smiled as she looked up to him.

"Thank you."

* * *

Ino and Kakashi dropped down from the trees as they approached the open area. There were some trees damaged with broken branches and missing chucks of bark while the ground was missing patches of grass along with what looked to be scotch marks around the whole area. Definitely a scene where a fight had taken place. Ino walked a little ahead taking a good look around. This was the last place her father was alive, she thought. It left her with a cold feeling in her chest.

"I had been a part of the investigation team with Anbu." Kakashi commented casually, Ino looked back at him as he went on, "Your…Inoichi was found over there…" Kakashi pointed over towards a bunch of bushes.

Ino turned to stare at the spot willing her legs to move towards it but they wouldn't listen. She felt her eyes water at the thought of her father so strong and powerful lying there dying from a self-inflicted wound. Ino was starting to feel sick to her stomach. If her eyesight wasn't failing her she was sure that she could see a dark almost black looking stain on the dirt and grass surrounding that area. A tear slowly rolled down her cheek and off her chin.

Ino felt like she couldn't breathe; she had no idea the emotions she would feel coming here. It helped that Kakashi was there with her otherwise she would probably be in worse shape. A touch on her shoulder brought her back to reality. Ino took a deep breath, closing her eyes before exhaling.

"Whoever killed Inoichi covered their tracks extremely well. My nin-dogs couldn't find a foreign scent from anywhere here. We may not find anything at all. Are you prepared for that Ino?" Said blonde nodded. She knew there was a chance (a rather big one) she wouldn't find anything, if elite Anbu and Kakashi couldn't find anything than what made Ino think she could?

'Because I know my Dad. Even if he was under another person's control he would still leave some type of clue. Our mind transfer jutsu can only hold so long and well before the target can block you out.' It takes a strong mind to block them out and she knew her father had a strong mind.

Ino pushed her raw emotions away and forced herself to walk over to the dark stain in the ground. Her stomach churned uncomfortably the closer she got. Once there the blonde blinked and sighed; for some reason she thought there would be some horrible smell near the blood stain. Of course logically there wouldn't be, but being as emotional as she is at the moment logic just wasn't there completely.

Ino breathed slowly looking over the stain and trying to disconnect herself from the situation so she could find any clues. It was easier said than done.

She felt like throwing up and crying herself dry at the same time. Ino glanced back at Kakashi; he had his back to her and seemed to be looking for clues as well. Turning around she put her game face on and got to it. Ino sidestepped the blood stain and looked around the underbrush hoping to find something. Her father wouldn't be able to throw anything far off and it had to be hidden well enough that his killer couldn't find it too. The report had said that Inoichi had been in a fight by the bruising forming on his right knuckles and his clothes were a bit torn up.

Ino could only imagine what happened but Shikaku had mentioned they had encountered some rogue ninja earlier that day, so there was no telling if her father had fought his killer before death or…

She got down to her hands and knees going further through the bushes. He had to have put up some type of fight, anything. It didn't help that a month and a half has gone by since that day. She frowned deeply while pushing an annoying branch out of her face. If her father had managed to leave some type of evidence to who his killer's identity is it may not have survived the weather. It had rained twice in the region and with the heat, wind and humidity it could have perished weeks ago.

Ino felt frustrated as she had searched for a good fifteen minutes with nothing to show for it but being splotched with dirt on her knees and hands.

"Oh my nails…" Ino couldn't help but whine as she started picking dirt out from under her nails.

"Any luck Ino?" Kakashi called out. She could hear the grass behind her being stepped on. She huffed, "No…"

The blonde pulled out of the bushes to stand hearing her back and knees pop. Ino groaned in relief stretching out more and hearing more bones pop. While stretching her arms she lifted her eyes up to the sky to see the dark night fastly approaching. Another groan left her lips.

"We need to hurry! Ugh! Dad where would you hide something?" Kakashi shook his head at her antics. He wasn't so sure they would find anything. He and Anbu had searched the area rather thoroughly; there shouldn't have been anything they had not already checked out themselves.

"Ino-."

"Kakashi-sensei up there!" Ino shouted running to the closet tree and then up it. Kakashi watched her jump to another tree before going up further on that tree. He couldn't see her up there clearly enough so he lifted his forehead protector revealing his Sharingan eye.

He easily caught sight of her and watched as she got close to a…kunai embedded into the bark; it was damn near to the top of the tree, unnoticeable from the ground and probably even harder to see on the tree branches. Ino reached up taking the kunai along with something else attached to the weapon. "I can't believe it…" He mumbled while shaking his head. 'So much for being thorough' he thought with a laugh. He would (after Ino's mission was said and done) mention to Lady Tsunade that they needed to do a better job of combing out areas of investigations better.

Ino quickly jumped down by him smiling from ear to ear.

"How did you see that?" The silver haired ninja asked genuinely curious. It was not an easy spot to locate from down here. Ino shrugged as though it was no big deal.

"I was glaring at the sky for getting darker," she started as Kakashi sweat dropped, "and I could see it clearly when I…" Ino frowned slightly, "stepped right on Dad's blood stain."

Kakashi patted her on the shoulder reassuringly.

"He must have known you would figure it out." The blonde rolled her eyes.

"Doubtful, I just found it by chance." She shrugged before handing the kunai to Kakashi. "That belongs to my Dad, it has name on it."

"And that." Kakashi pointed to what was in her other hand. Ino looked at the scrape of red clothe that was attacked to her father's kunai.

"It could be from the other ninja." Ino said with hope in her voice.

"Could be, I'll have Pakkun sniff it over, though I am not hopeful that the scent is still there." She frowned but nodded in understanding. It would be a miracle if the scent was still within the clothe. Kakashi sealed it within a scroll to keep it secure before covering his left eye and pulling out his book. "Okay lets go set up ca-." He blinked his uncovered eye once he realized his book was not in his hand.

Ino looked said book over grimacing upon finding a rather raunchy passage.

"That," Kakashi pointed at the little orange book with a dark, serious tone, "belongs to me. Give. It. Back."

Ino giggled and waved him off, she was feeling ten times better now that they found something.

"Come on, let's set up camp." Ino walked away from Kakashi while flipping through his book without a care in the world.

"Ino, I'm serious." His voice became stern as he trailed after her. She shrugged her shoulders and ignored him.

"Ya know I always wondered what drew you to read these." The blonde commented continuing to thumb through the novel. Kakashi glared at her from behind.

"Yes, well I read them for the plotlines." Ino scoffed at him.

"Oh…and I guess the porn is just an added bonus." The copy-nin opted to not reply back and slyly snatched his precious book out of her hands, quickly tucking it away within his pocket.

Ino frowned at her empty hands before dropping them. She knew it was only a matter of time before he took back the book. She didn't really care though; at the moment nothing could bring her down. Ino felt too optimistic about her mission, she was so much closer to figuring out the identity of that ninja.

She smiled brightly to the darkening sky. Things were already looking up!

* * *

**A**nd that's it for chapter 3! Yays! I am really happy about how this story plot is going in my mind. I already plotted out each chapter up to like ten so all I have to do is get down to writing it! This is going to be Ino-centric by the way if it wasn't very obvious! Hopefully people will review this too cause it's a bit disappointing to find no one reviewed the last chapter. Yes, thanks for faving and following, but giving me a 'it's going great!' or 'can't wait for the next installment' would go a long way for me, plus it lets me know people like this story.

So please review for my sake, plus it really does get my ass in gear and throw out these updates!

ALCzysz17


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Sweet Misery**

**Chapter 4**

Ino's favorite season has always been summer. She loved lying out in the bright sunlight, soaking up the heat and napping the day away. She loved the gentle breezes that helped to you cool off, and how the flowers would be at their most beautiful. And the sunsets had to be her absolute favorite of them all, seeing the shades of red, orange, yellow, and pink (sometimes purple) as the sun set ending the day and starting the night. She loved it all.

Let it be known Ino loved summer. Period.

But this was not summer, this was hell.

Ino didn't know she could sweat so much without dying from feeling so disgusting. Of course Kakashi thought ahead to put on their cloaks as they grew nearer Wind Country. It was a saving grace as Ino wasn't getting burned to a crisp but it didn't help with venting out her hot and sweaty body.

The heat was unbearable to say the least.

Ino glared up at the unforgiving sun then turned her glare to the hot sand that baked away her feet in her sandals and stung at her toes. Desert life was not for her it seemed. Her glaring eyes then turned to Kakashi who acted as though the heat didn't exist with his mask still in place and his orange book in his right hand.

'How does he do it?' Ino thought feeling very envious. From what she could see he didn't have a bead of sweat coming off him. While here she was sweating up a storm of disgust. It was making her gag. The blonde ninja frowned deeply, her eyebrows knitted downward with her frowning lips.

"Nothing like full blown summer to make you love the outdoors huh Ino?" Said blonde didn't know if she wanted to give an equally sarcastic reply or just choke him. Considering choking him took more energy than it was worth (that also included catching him) Ino decided to grunt as her answer.

How was she supposed to survive three months in this heat? What was she thinking going along with Lady Tsunade's plan? This was not what she considered a vacation, not one bit. And to think things were looking up only two days ago too. Ino wiped a good handful of sweat off her forehead, scrunching her face in disgust. If she broke out in zits then there would be hell to pay! Once more she glared at Kakashi wondering what his secret was. She knew there had to be some type of trick because there was just no way could the Jounin withstand the heat covered from head to toe as he was. Hell Ino didn't have nearly as much on her and she was sweating like no tomorrow.

What was his trick?

She could just ask him but that didn't leave her much of a challenge plus knowing the older man he probably wouldn't tell her anyway just to annoy her. Ino eyed him carefully while trying to keep herself from sinking into the sand shifting underneath her. It was like walking on water but with sand instead. It was constantly moving as she walked and Ino was almost tempted to center chakra into the soles of her feet to keep her steady. She almost fell at least twice since yesterday. The blonde raised an eyebrow in thought before bringing her hand up to her face, stopping it an inch from touching her cheek and holding up her index and middle finger together. Slowly she focused her chakra while watching Kakashi the whole time.

Ino had been told by Tsunade while training under her years back that a few ninja including the Sannin herself could regulate their body heat with their chakra. Doing so would help alleviate the body from overheating or becoming frozen. It was a hard technique to do and took much concentration and focus to do so. Ino never tried it herself, but she was sure Sakura knew how and seeing Kakashi-sensei not sweating bullets in this weather was making the blonde think that he too knew it. Slowly his chakra became visible to her eyes allowing her to see it flaming up and flaring through his body. There she could also see it moving through his limbs quickly, faster than normal.

Smirking proudly she released her focus allowing her eyes to adjust back to normal. Bringing her hand down Ino glared a little at Kakashi. So he did know how to regulate his chakra to keep his body at normal temperatures! She was even more jealous than before. If only her chakra control was as good. Not to put herself down, Ino's chakra control is rather good right under Sakura's to be exact, but not with hers or even Hinata's level. Even the quiet Hyuuga could most likely regulate her chakra! Ino clenched her hands tightly. It just wasn't fair! She trained hard, so very hard. Working on her skills daily, even when she locked herself away from prying eyes after learning of her father's death she kept on training.

Her father had always complimented her on being so adamant on her training especially after the war. She was looking to be a great leader in her own right and left none in her clan to worry about her taking over as head once she was older and her father retired. Ino worked so hard but it just felt like she was going nowhere fast. It was like every step she took forward she was also taking two steps back while everyone else around her seemed to be growing stronger by leaps and bounds.

Where did the time go? What happened to Ino Yamanaka being ahead of the class? What happened to the confidence and strength many envied and admired? What happened to her?

Ino felt a headache coming on. She needed to stop thinking so hard about everything; there was no need to get depressed about things out of her control. She wasn't Sakura the control freak! Ino liked having some control but overall went with the flow (as long as it benefited her that is). Plus she couldn't change the past, no matter how much she wished she could (and really she seriously wished so). Putting herself down would only hinder her in the end so Ino literally shook her head of such thoughts and focused more on just getting to Suna in one piece.

"Did you want to take a break? We're just about there." Kakashi called over his shoulder stopping his walk as he pulled his face out of his book. Ino shrugged her shoulders for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah, I could use a moment of rest." Nodding his head as well they both set off to find a suitable place to relax for a minute or two.

It didn't take them long to find a rock formation further ahead of them. From the looks of it the area had been somewhat a mountain before eroding and breaking down under the heat, wind, and sand. Ino was sure that at some point way back when Wind Country wasn't full of just sand, it could have been quite an oasis, but something happened along the lines like no rain or such that lead to the country drying up to dust. More like sand really. Ino sat down on a smooth rock shadowed by the monstrous mountain side taking great pleasure in the rapid change of temperatures from just getting out of direct sunlight. Kakashi too with his regulating his body seemed to find relief in being shadowed.

"How much longer before were there?" Ino decided to question, she pulled out a bottle of water from her overheated pack. Unfortunately the water was more hot than cool, but water was water whatever way she looked at it. Dehydrating wasn't such a great idea so she sucked it up and down most of her bottles content. Kakashi leaned back against the jagged wall shading them with his arms behind his head and legs crossed at his ankles.

"We shouldn't be too far off from Suna, maybe an hour before we get there." The blonde frowned at the thought of having to walk any more in this heat but found some happiness in knowing their trek would be over with sooner than she thought.

"That's good because I cannot stand to be in my clothes any longer…" Ino made a noise of disgust as she pulled her cloak off. Kakashi chuckled lightly as the younger ninja fussed over the sweat drenched outfit. He did feel sorry for her, he was just lucky to know how to keep cool in such conditions. "Don't you dare laugh! I know for a fact that you would be in my situation too if you didn't know how to regulate your chakra!" Ino snapped pointing an accusing finger at him.

"My, you are quite full of surprises aren't you Ino. When did you figure that out?" Kakashi jokingly asked which only further angered her.

"Not that long ago! If you didn't know how to do that you would be in worse condition than I am." He nodded his head in agreement.

"You're right. I would be but I do know and as such I am not." Ino scoffed at him in reply, crossing her arms and turning to look out over the expanse of the desert she could make out. The further she looked out the more dazed she felt. Once more she got the feeling as though she were looking out at the ocean; both felt never ending, just went on forever from her view point, it was sort of humbling and Ino felt herself calm down.

Ino then stretched back lying down upon the smooth rock she sat on and closed her eyes. They would get there…eventually…

As she laid there relaxing her thoughts went towards Suna. She had never been there before; none of her missions ever took her out to the village or even within Wind Country. Both Naruto and Lee had told her about the village before she left. Of course she couldn't really go by what Lee told her, he was way too modest and nice to tell her what the village really was like. He spurted on about it being such a lovely village, full of life, and golden in the sun. In Naruto's case he told her there was a bunch of sand…everywhere and it got everywhere too. The look on his face told her he had gotten quite a bit of the stuff in places it obviously shouldn't go. Ino inwardly groaned at the thought of cleaning sand out of her clothes. Sakura mentioned that it tended to be very windy there and along with that wind was sand. The pinkette complained about her hair drying out continuously her last trip there and how her mouth felt like she had gritty sand in it all the time.

'Definitely not sounding like a vacation at all…' The blonde frowned. She didn't actually know which one she dreaded more going to Suna or staying in Konoha. If she had stayed she wouldn't have been able to find some type of clue about her father's death, but now she had to deal with being stuck in another village completely unknown to her and she only knew about three or four people there. Not that she couldn't get to know a few others while there, but it was the point of the matter that she would feel rather…lonely. Her frown turning into a bitter sweet smile as she thought of the saying her father had always said, 'Damned if I do, and damned if I don't…'.

Ino felt that was more certainly the best saying in the world…

* * *

An extreme sense of relief and happiness filled into Ino's chest as her eyes set on the huge cliffs surrounding Suna. For a second she thought the heat and sand were playing tricks on her mind making her believe it could very well be a mirage. But when Kakashi sighed out his relief she knew for sure that they had finally made it. She was amazed at the strategicness of Suna utilizing the large cliffs of the mountain encircling them as protection and even the entrance into the village seemed heavily guarded with their ninjas.

Ino and Kakashi walked side by side through the narrow passage that would lead them to the gates of Suna. It was ten times cooler as they were shielded from the burning hot sun. Ino smiled lightly as she noticed up ahead the welcoming party. Standing there in all their glory was the sand siblings. Temari stood off to the left leaning casually against her giant fan making motions to Kankuro who stood on the far right with his arms crossed wearing that same black uniform and from this distance Ino could make out his purple kabuki paint too. Then there standing between them with his arms crossed as well stood Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage of Suna.

He stood motionless ignoring the loud voices of his older siblings and kept his greenish blue eyes on her and Kakashi as they got closer to them. Ino smiled lightly knowing she should be very grateful to him, if not for him allowing her to come and stay at his village (regardless that she's coming mostly as a Konoha liaison) she would never have been able to visit the last place her father was alive. Ino watched Gaara's face carefully seeing if there was any signs of annoyance for her being there but he just stood there stoic like. A brief image of Sasuke came to mind.

They both stopped right in front of the siblings and Ino instantly bowed down at her waist to show her sign of respect towards Gaara. Slowly her eyes moved to her right at Kakashi…who just stood there with a smiley eye and waved a hand saying, "Yo". A vein started to throb in her forehead.

"What are you doing Kakashi-sensei! Bow!" Gaara frowned and bought his hand up.

"That is unnecessary-." Ino swung around in a circle kicking her leg at Kakashi's knees taking him and the siblings by surprise and forcing the older man to drop to his knees in a partial bow. Temari smirked gleefully hiding her laughter behind her hand while Kankuro snickered openly. The blonde smirked at her handy work before standing up straight with a brilliant smile.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay in your village Kazekage." Gaara stared down at Kakashi who turned an angry eye on his escort before looking back at the girl who was his age. She seemed rather feisty and it made him wonder if this was a show of her 'emotionally compromised' instability.

"You can just call me 'Gaara'." He commented giving her a very bland look as if it didn't really matter to him like just calling him a 'piece of shit' would be fine as well. Ino still kept her smile turning to greet Temari and Kankuro as well.

"Hey Temari, Kankuro." They replied back and introductions were essentially done with. Gaara turned to lead them into the village. The gates opened up giving Ino her first view into Suna.

The first thing she noticed was that everything and everywhere was covered in sand. The buildings and houses were a mixture of brownish gold (mud, rock, and sand mixed together) and the roads were all harden dirt and mud along with layers of sand on top. There was just no real way to get away from sand in the desert huh. Ino bought her hand up to cover the sun from her eyes to get a better look. The sun would gleam off the buildings giving them an almost golden feel. It wasn't something she was expecting and really it looked nice (maybe Lee wasn't just embellishing about the village). Also the building designs were quite different than back home. For one almost every building had a circular or oval shape with either flat or dome like roofs. Their windows were also thicker in appearance most likely to prevent from shattering by the strong winds that carried sand with it, and the occasion sandstorm. Her blue eyes roamed the area as they walked, Kakashi chatting with Temari and Kankuro while Gaara listened in.

It was about two in the afternoon people were scarcely out at the moment. Ino thought for a minute that it was because of her, like an old village that didn't like strangers who would hide out in their homes and watch them walk by with distrustful eyes. Gaara seemed to notice her line of thought and commented, "At one in the afternoon is when the sun is at its peak and being outside becomes almost unbearable for most. In an hour or so most of the villagers will be outside once more." Ino smiled politely.

"Wow, I never thought about that. It's so different here from home." Ino said in a wistful voice. "Don't you guys ever miss grass or trees? Any plants?" Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders; he slowed his walk so he was alongside her as Ino had fallen behind the rest as she looked about.

"You can't really miss what you have never had in the first place. I enjoy the lush greens of forests outside Wind Country, but I prefer the desert." She nodded in understanding feeling a pang of homesickness as she took in her surroundings. "It's not like we do not get plants and trees though Ino. We have many varieties of Acacia trees scattered about the village along with cacti, shrubs, and bushes. What you see isn't always what you get; there is always more than meets the eye." Gaara smirked at the end causing Ino to blush deeply at the implication of his words.

It was then she finally noticed how good looking the Kazekage truly was. He stood taller than the last time she saw him (though her accuracy wouldn't be so great as she had only seen him from a far), his height reaching above her own by two or three inches. He was even taller than Temari finally only being shorter than Kankuro now, but she was sure he would still grow to be taller; hopefully. His red hair was actually more of a dark auburn color reddish in tint but actually brown in certain lighting. On closer inspection of his face she noticed a very fine line of hair on his eyebrows that from far away would be invisible, but close up you could make them out. They were lightly brown but very thin as though he plucked them everyday though that was unbelievable.

Gaara had a strong chin probably from his father and a straight, narrow nose with high cheekbones. In her eyes he was definitely a catch. His lean build didn't make him look so sickly skinny anymore if memory served her right back at the chunin exams he looked rather puny to be honest. Now though, her cheeks seemed to only get rosier as her thoughts continued, he was quite the cutey.

"I guess you're right…Gaara." His name sounded funny on her lips and she wanted to call him by his title so bad because the sign of disrespect nibbled away at her. He just nodded still finding no reason why he should care. Ino wanted to tell him why he should care, but it wasn't exactly her place. She didn't even know him all that well.

"How can you guys stand the heat?" Ino blurted out wiping some sweat off her forehead in disgust. Thinking about it now all she wanted to do was settle in and take a nice ice cold shower. Temari laughed turning her head to wink at the other blonde.

"All of our clothes are made with a material that helps us regulate our body heat. Plus we're use to it." She shrugged at the end like it was no big deal. Ino sighed shaking her sweaty hand towards the ground.

"Maybe Temari can take you to some of the shops here to buy some of our clothes." Gaara ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his head like he was unsure of himself. Ino found it so cute and nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, that would probably be best. Otherwise I'm going to be taking a shower twice a day." She laughed lightly then thought better of it seeing how she probably just put in his head her taking showers. Once more Ino didn't know if he was seeing anyone or for another matter if he had ever seen anyone romantically in the first place. She looked him over in thought.

"Have you…never mind!" Ino wanted to smack herself upside of the head. What the hell was she thinking, just asking casually if the Kazekage had ever dated or kissed a girl before like it's just a howdy-do! It wasn't unusual for her to talk without thinking, but she had gotten much better at not doing that! Ino worked hard to think before she spoke even having Shikamaru help her out. She hadn't slipped up for a good long while now and here she is speaking nonsense. She mind as well ask him if he ever had sex while she was at it!

Gaara eyed her probably thinking she had lost her mind before looking straight ahead. Luckily for her they were coming up to the Kage tower quickly saving Ino from making the conversation with this village's leader even more awkward and embarrassing.

"Well here we are! This is where you'll be staying Ino." Temari waved her hand out towards the circular building. Ino raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I'm staying here?" Kankuro rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, where else would you be staying? Every village liaison stays at the Kage tower; there are apartment rooms near the back." He tossed his thumb towards the back of the building with his almost condescending voice as though he were speaking to a child. She glared at the puppet master wanting to give him the finger so bad but withholding the desire. Tenten did warn her about him.

"Sorry I've never been a village liaison before." The blonde mumbled out trying not to snare at him. Both older siblings looked confused glancing at each other before setting their eyes on the youngest that happened to be standing by Ino.

"What do you mean you've 'never been a village liaison before'?" Kankuro asked gruffly sending a glare her way. Temari crossed her arms and sighed.

"So the Hokage is taking away a liaison who knows what they're doing and giving us someone who has no idea. Great." Ino frowned deeply. It wasn't like she was totally helpless! Tsunade drilled all the rules, regulations, and knowledge into her head for two weeks straight along with tutoring sessions from Shikamaru. She knew what she is doing damn it!

"I wouldn't count Ino out you two." Kakashi said looking rather bored (or his normal default expression). "She may be new at this, but I'm sure she's nothing to worry about. Our Hokage had brought her up to speed for the last few weeks." Ino looked and felt completely shocked. It made her extremely happy that he came to her rescue, but even so it made her feel babied. She could defend herself! She didn't need others to run to her rescue.

"It was my decision to allow her to come as an inexperienced liaison, remember Temari at one point you were the same." Gaara brushed pass them all entering the building and leaving them in his dust. Temari scoffed glaring at Kankuro who snickered at her as he entered after their little brother. She then looked back at the Konoha ninjas.

"He's right; I shouldn't have jumped down your throat so fast." Ino shrugged like it didn't bother her. She guessed that was the best apology she was going to get out of her so she took what she could get and followed the other blonde into the building.

She got slapped across the face by the instant air conditioning causing her sweaty skin to go cold and sending a shiver down her spine. Kakashi sighed at the feel of the cold air while they followed through the main entrance. It had a waiting room type feel to it with some seating areas and a reception desk right in the center of the room. It differed from her village's Kage tower just by the design of the building. The top round dome she knew was Gaara's office, but the whole building was circular making the walls rounded compared to the square and rectangular walls that most of the Hokage's tower was made of. Of course Tsunade's office too was in a more oval appearance. It made Ino wonder if all of the Kage's towers were oval or circle.

They walked right pass the receptionist who smiled at Temari but eyed Ino and Kakashi, unsure of them. Ino didn't understand why, if not for Konoha, Suna would be in dire shape especially if they had gone to war like Orochimaru had wanted to happen. They walked into a long hallway that led further through the building before taking a turn along the circular wall to a more spacious hallway with several doors on either side. Gaara stood by one near the very end of the hall with Kankuro walking towards him.

"This will be your room during your stay." Gaara unlocked the door letting Ino walk in first to take a look around. Like Kankuro had said earlier it was a simple apartment like room with a small kitchen on the left with a bigger sitting room/living room on the right with two doors on the opposite wall of the entrance. Looking into the one closest to the kitchen was the bathroom that had a separate shower and bath from the actual toilet and sink. The other door closest to the living room was the bedroom.

Ino walked in smiling at the cozy room. The bed had to be queen size with a night stand on either side along with a medium sized dresser on the left side of the bed near the bathroom wall and a small closet on the right. The colors were all off-white or brownish in tint giving the rooms more earthy feeling rather than a dirt and sand feeling like she would have thought. Ino threw her pack on the bed before tossing her cloak on the floor just being happy to be rid of it and turned to the other occupants in the living room. She smiled as she closed the door to her bedroom.

"This is great! I even like the color tones here too." Kakashi seated himself on the couch without a care in the world. Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"Glad it made your approval." He grumbled. She glared at him heatedly ready to tell him off.

"Why don't we let Ino get settled I'm sure you want that shower." Temari commented winking at the other blonde. "Then we can give you a proper tour of our village. You've never been here before right Ino." She stated knowing for a fact already that she hadn't but Ino shook her head 'no'. "Cool, Kakashi your room is right next door did you want us to give you some grand entrance." He shook his head with a chuckle.

"No, I think I'll be fine to enter alone." She nodded as Gaara tossed him his key. The auburn haired teen then turned to Ino reaching forward with his hand for her to take it. She walked up to him taking the small silver key from his hand, her fingers lightly brushed his. Ino clenched her hand around the key pulling it to her chest with a small smile. He nodded and walked out along with his siblings.

"We'll come get you in an hour!" Temari called out closing the door behind her. Kakashi closed his book right after and leaned his head against the back of the couch looking right at her.

"Your face is red." Ino glared at him before jumping right over the couch landing on a cushion beside him. She dropped the key on the coffee table where the copy-nin's feet were propped up with. He watched her carefully. "Oh yes, I think Gaara is quite the dashing young fellow too." The blonde felt her face heat up more; she turned to Kakashi throwing her left hand out to slap him hard on his chest gaining a slight cough from him.

"Shut up! It's not like that okay! He's cute so, it's nothing." Kakashi rubbed his chest though she knew it didn't actually hurt him one bit. She crossed her arms willing her face to cool down and stop being so red. Then she thought dreadfully if Temari and Kankuro noticed too. Her face flamed up again making her feel much like Hinata. Ino promised she would never jokingly poke fun at the blushing Hyuuga for the rest of her life.

"I'm sure it is nothing, so how is Suna so far?" He inquired intertwining his fingers over his chest as he slouched down on the couch. Ino leaned back to stare up at the ceiling where she noticed a ceiling fan, it wasn't in motion at the moment. Her eyes then moved to spot a switch turned off.

"It's okay I guess. I'm surprised that it's not the waste land I thought it was. Then again you shouldn't judge a book by its cover huh." She laughed lightly deciding if she should get up and turn the ceiling fan on, the air conditioning was on but having the fan on would help it circulate more. Kakashi nodded before coming to a stand and walking towards the door.

"Well Ino I will leave you to it, I'm in need of a shower." She blinked at him in slight confusion before shouting out as the door was shutting, "but you didn't sweat half as much as me!"

Ino sighed deeply relishing in the silence of the room before forcing her tired body to stand. She walked over to the fan switch to turn that on before heading to her room for clean clothes and then that much needed shower!

Ino quickly finished pinning up her blonde hair into a bun since she hadn't had time to properly blow dry it off. She had changed her clothes into something a little less…there. She switched out her normal top for a purple tank top that came to just above her belly button with a longer back sleeveless vest made of light clothe left open. She wore a full purple skirt that stopped above her knees. She ran to the door hearing knocking against the wood. She pulled it open smiling brightly.

Gaara stood on the other side of the door nodding to her.

"I thought you would be back in your office…working." Ino replied to his nod lamely. He raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders.

"I had taken the day off expecting your arrival." She smiled lightly. That was very sweet that he had taken the day off just to help her out and give her a tour of his village. Ino closed the door locking it securely before turning back to him. She looked around not seeing another soul in the hallway.

"Are Temari and Kankuro not coming?" Ino asked watching as Gaara shook his head. She frowned a little wondering why it was just him. Not that there was anything wrong with Gaara! She had just not been expecting just him. To be honest she was actually just a tad nervous being alone with him, she didn't fear her life or anything, more like feared what would come out of her mouth. She was afraid she would start yapping about stuff without thinking and further embarrassing herself in front of the Kazekage.

"No, we will meet up with them for dinner tonight though…that's not a problem is it?" Ino quickly shook her head. Though his face remained emotionless his eyes expressed everything his face did not. She could see it in his eyes that he worried that she was afraid of being around him. Though completely untrue it wasn't unreasonable that he would think that way. She was sure there were still quite a few of the villagers who would never see him as their leader regardless that he is. It reminded her of Naruto, though he saved them all from the Akatsuki a few villagers believed that the village wouldn't have been nearly destroyed had he not been there. Ino brought out her brightest smile rivaling Gai-sensei and Lee.

"Not a problem at all! I would love to be shown around by the Kazekage himself!" Gaara only nodded but Ino was sure she saw a bit of relief in his eyes. They both started down the hall, walking side by side. Before long they were once more outside though the heat had alleviated at least five degrees from when she had last been out. The wind was blowing softly not as harsh as it had been when she and Kakashi were trekking through the desert.

Ino noticed that there was barely any sand within the wind.

"Why is the wind not so sandy here?" She asked as they walked down another street from the street leading to the main entrance of the village. Gaara nodded his head to many of the villagers who bowed as he walked by.

"The cliff walls that surround the village help keep most of the sand from entering. The wind that blows through only carries the sand within the village unlike in the desert. Sandstorms can sometimes help get rid of excess sand or just bring more." Ino nodded bringing her hands behind her back as she watched people come and go. It wasn't such a deserted village anymore. She noticed how everyone wore robe like clothes, or at least the civilians did while the shinobi wore more ninja attire with some variation of robe on them. Ino looked over Gaara's maroon colored attire, noticing the robe-ish like coat that was standard for him.

"Any reason everybody wears robe like clothes?" Ino asked next. If he was going to give her a tour then she mind as well ask questions about the people, village, and customs. She knew what she needed to about being a liaison but nothing of the history of the people who lived there. It made her think that maybe they should make a world history book where each chapter detailed about each village, how they became, and all that. No important information that would harm them in the long run though.

"The material is much the same as what Temari had spoken of before. We usually wear the robes because of the layers to protect our skin from the sun, wind, and sand otherwise it would dry out our skin." She nodded thoughtfully, that made complete sense and she sort of felt like she should have known that instead of asking about it.

"What about you?" Gaara glanced at her before smirking lightly. Ino felt some heat rise to her cheeks but tried to beat down the blush that was trying to overtake her.

"I constantly have a sand shield on my skin. I never have to worry." He gave her a look as though to say 'duh you should know this already' but Ino just smiled giving him a shrug.

The next two hours was spent walking around in the decreasing heat listening to Gaara speak about the village, their citizens, and history. Ino had always thought Gaara to be a man of few words but here he was speaking more in the last two hours than he had ever at least in her presence. His voice sounded almost unused and came off rough at times, but he was passionate about his village showing his pride in being the leader and even telling Ino how he plans on bettering the village for the future.

Ino found herself smiling more now than she had in the last few weeks since her father's death. 'Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to be sent here' she thought as they continued their walk. Listening to Gaara helped inspire her to work harder on finding the killer with Kakashi and Shikaku on her side Ino was sure she would succeed.

Gaara walked further ahead of her going into a small restaurant. Ino smiled lightly feeling once more that everything was heading in the right direction. Sure there were a few meetings to worry about but she wasn't so afraid anymore, she could do this! She felt confidence radiate off her.

Ino looked up to the darkening skies.

'If you're watching dad, don't worry I won't let you down!'

* * *

**C**hapter four done with! I had a rough time trying to get Gaara to show up on the damn page. At first I was going to write a passage about him before they got to the village but it just wasn't coming out right. Then I pushed myself to just start typing and slowly I got to the village and even some conversation going! I had to look up desert plants and trees including whatever pictures I could get on Suna. I wanted to be as accurate as I could be when describing the village and stuff. I read up on desert wear too so I wasn't just talking out of my ass, lol!

Also the whole thing I said about Naruto and Akatsuki is something I had thought about after reading that chapter in the manga. I like that everyone likes Naruto now, but ya know Pain wouldn't have attacked the village if Naruto hadn't been there or born there for that matter. I just feel like the people who hated Naruto because of the fox wouldn't just be happy that Naruto saved them when he was the reason Pain attacked in the first place. Anyone get what I'm saying? I just think that seemed a little too…nicely placed? I know were hitting the end of the series but it seemed almost too good to be true. But hey I'm going for realistic and this is just manga so…*shrug*

Anywho I hope you all enjoyed! Please let me know how you like it, trust me Gaara will show up more but like I said before this is Ino-centric!

ALCzysz17


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

**Sweet Misery**

**Chapter 5**

Ino didn't want to admit how hard it was to fall asleep that first night. The bed was comfortable, but almost too comfortable. The room was dark enough as well. The wind picked up that night; it was nothing but silence in the room though. She felt if she could open the window to feel the breeze (if it didn't bring hordes of sand with it) then she could fall asleep better. The circumstances permitted a perfect night of sleep yet Ino couldn't do just that.

Her mind kept wondering and her constant tossing and turning did nothing to help aid in her quest for sleep. Ino had thought she would drop into deep sleep once in bed after the day and a half of travelling in the hot, smoldering desert. Still sleep was just eluding her. So the time spent lying in bed trying (and failing) to fall asleep Ino thought about her day.

After her tour and brief history lesson from Gaara they had met up with his siblings, Kakashi, and the two current Konoha liaisons. The one she would replace is Okei, a tall older chunin who wore glasses with dark eyes and brown hair mostly hidden in his bandanna Konoha forehead protector. The other liaison who would still be with her for a month before leaving is Hayase, another tall older chunin with spiky black hair that went outwards on the side of his head as though someone placed a book there to flatten it but it just didn't quite work. Both had been stand ins for the first exam of the chunin exams when Ino first took them. She only vaguely remembered them and got to know them better at dinner.

Hayase, as she found, was quite the flirt, kissing Ino's hand upon officially meeting her for the first time while Okei smiled and shook her hand. He flirted with her throughout the night and with Temari as well. Gaara ignored him for the most part, having been exposed to him multiple times through the years probably helped. Okei on the other hand was the complete opposite; he mostly kept to himself staying quiet throughout the evening barely adding to the conversation at the table. Then again Gaara wasn't all that talkative either.

Aside from those two everyone else was lively and entertaining. Ino was sure she saw the auburn haired Kazekage crack a small smile at one point during dinner. Temari had given a good old rant about Shikamaru giving Ino reason to believe (including his clear warning) their relationship was on the rocks. Okei did eventually talk if only to give her a 101 lesson about her role there. It was nothing she hadn't already known before with Lady Tsunade and Shikamaru, but it was the thought that counted (though she sort of felt like he was talking down to her in some points). The night went off without a hitch though even with Kakashi pulling out his book during dinner and Kankuro giving an inappropriate joke about women (which led to two lumps on his head).

"So why can't I sleep?" Ino questioned the silent room wishing for an answer…

* * *

It took about the third night for Ino to get a good night sleep. She figured exhaustion finally caught up to her. Ino had hoped to wake up at an early hour (not lay awake till, like the last two nights) feeling refreshed and ready for the day!

"Somebody's gonna die…" Ino mumbled darkly as she achingly opened her eyes to look at the alarm clock on the night stand. It read 5:56 am. Ino groaned as she heard the banging on the apartment door.

Getting up was harder than she thought it would be, she flung the warm comforter off with more effort than it needed. Ino withheld another groan as the bangs got louder the longer she took. At this point she was more aggravated than anything else and so decided to forgo checking in the mirror and stomped her way to the door. Like the comforter she flung out the door ready to just about breathe fire and bite the persons head off.

"I'm sorry to wake you Miss Yamanaka." Ino blinked rapidly hoping the vision of Gaara standing at her doorway with his hand still raised to knock/bang once more on the door was all just a bad dream.

"Kazekage?" Ino pulled back quickly and without a second thought slammed the door in his face. Her face flared up in red before rushing to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror. The blonde flinched as the bright light flicked on and grimaced upon seeing her reflection. Not only did she feel like a fire breathing monster, but looked like one as well.

In a spur of adrenaline Ino brushed through her long hair wondering for the hundredth time in the last few years why she bothered to keep it so long. After somehow maintaining her wild blonde mane she raced back to the door fixing her purple tank top and white pj pants in place. Ino flung open the door again to see Gaara still standing there looking rather perplexed and confused.

"Yes?" Ino asked smiling brightly at him. He mumbled something along the lines of 'scarier than Temari' before nodding.

"Yes, I came to tell you a meeting has been scheduled for nine o'clock." Ino stared at him for a long minute.

"Is…is that it?" He nodded once more. "So…this couldn't have waited till I got up on my own." She deadpanned not being able to help her annoyed tone. Gaara frowned at her pulling his arms across his chest.

"You've been getting up at 8:30 'on your own'. I just thought you would like longer than thirty minutes to prepare." Ino felt like she got slapped across the face. "I didn't have to come here personally to be sure you knew. I was trying to be…considerate…" Gaara then turned and started down the hall at a brisk pace.

"Gaara wait!" Not caring how she was dressed Ino ran after him coming to stand in front of him since he didn't actually stop or wait. Gaara's eyebrows were knitted downward, his lips in a flat line, and his eyes boring down on her. She succeeded in not flinching.

"I'm sorry….I mean my attitude was inexcusable. I should and am grateful that you took it upon yourself to inform me about this meeting sooner than later. Thank you." Ino instantly bowed not wanting to see on his face and what he thought of her apology. Ino tried not to make a face when she noticed her hair touching the ground. A sigh reached her ears.

"Apology accepted." Ino pulled back up smiling lightly and once more seeing the perplexed look on his face. "I forget that others need more sleep than I do, I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep." She shook her head and shrugged.

"It's really not that big of a deal, I've just been having a harder time sleeping lately so it's just…I don't know ironic that when I finally do fall asleep something wakes me." Ino laughed at the end. Gaara didn't seem to get the humor but his face did go back to be emotionless. "So…" the awkwardness wasn't lost on her, "meeting at nine right? I can remember that. Thanks again…" Ino bowed before walking back to her room. She heard him walk away once she got to her door and quickly ran in. Lying against her door Ino stared up at the grainy ceiling wondering what the hell was wrong with her? 'I can't believe I acted like that to Gaara! He's the freakin' Kazekage! Ugh…' bringing her hand down over her face she turned her blue eyes to the clock in the kitchen.

The clock told her that the time was 6:08 am. She closed her eyes and groaned, throwing her head back into the door. So much for getting that extra sleep, but she was grateful that Gaara felt the need to alert her about the upcoming meeting. A sense of panic and nervousness entered her chest. In just a few short hours she would be participating in a meeting with Suna's elders. Ino banged her head against the door again.

"I have nothing to worry about. I can do this…" Ino pushed off the door heading back to the bathroom to run a nice hot bath to help relax her suddenly tense muscles. As the water ran she looked back into the mirror. There were slightly dark lines right underneath her eyes indicating lack of sleep. She frowned at the sight and sighed. The blonde just couldn't win could she? Ino stuck her tongue out at her reflection before tossing her clothes off and jumping into the tub.

After a nice forty-five minute soak and scrub she set about getting ready for the day. She went through her regular routine of applying some skin care to her face, foundation for her bruising skin under her eyes, and eyeliner to make her blues eyes pop. Years before Ino would put tons of makeup on never leaving her home without it, but as she grew up she started realizing how…insignificant it was. Sure she looked great but why should she bother looking good as she killed an enemy ninja? For missions where she had to disguise herself then it came in handy, but otherwise makeup really seemed useless for her profession, but that didn't stop her from using some for daily business.

Ino fixed her hair up into her tidy ponytail, clipping some side hair to her head that fell out of her hair band. She looked her appearance over in the mirror with her long bangs covering her left eye. She frowned slightly pushing it out of the way to see her full face before letting it fall back to its original place. She did this a few more times before shrugging her shoulders and finally leaving the bathroom. Looking back at the clock she sighed seeing that an hour and twenty minutes had gone by. Ino went to the fridge opening it up to see it fully stocked with drinks, food, and veggies and fruits. She decided to go with a simple breakfast of cereal and milk.

Just as she poured the milk into her bowl of cereal a knock sounded on her door. Looking longingly at her food she turned to open the door wondering who it was this time. She hoped against all hope that it wasn't Gaara again. She already embarrassed herself earlier this morning she really didn't want a repeat performance.

"Hey babe." Hayase said walking right on in and plopping on her couch. Ino felt her jaw drop and watched him for a moment. "You can close the door now." He commented with a smirk. Shutting it a little harder than necessary Ino placed her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned trying to stay stern with him as he gave her a bright toothy smile. He could be very charming when he wanted to be, but at the moment she wasn't in the mood.

"Well I wanted to let you know that there's a meeting scheduled for nine this morning and I wanted to make sure you were prepared for it. Plus seeing your beautiful face in the morning is a dream come true." Ino rolled her eyes at flirty comment before shrugging at him and going back to her meal. After taking a bite full and swallowing she replied back, "I already knew about it." Hayase raised an eyebrow in question.

"Really? I just learned about it a few minutes ago from Kankuro, how the hell did you find out before me?" Ino smiled around her spoon chewing thoughtfully just to make him wait in suspense.

"Gaara woke me up around six this morning to let me know." This time a confused and slightly weirded out look came upon his facial features. He got up to walk around the counter to sit on a stool in front of her as she leaned on the counter on the kitchen side.

"You mean the Kazekage came to you early in the morning to tell you about the meeting?" He looked her up and down briefly. "Are you two…" He pointed his fingers together as though Ino could tell what he meant. She did but still it was only them in the room. She reached over and smacked him upside the head.

"Of course not! What do you take me for?!" Hayase choose wisely to not answer that question and went on. "Wow, I guess you learn something new each day. Never heard of Gaara ever coming to a Konoha's liaisons' room just to warn them about a meeting." Ino ignored his inquiring gaze as she finished off her sugary breakfast.

"Well this is my first time as a liaison for the village and I've known Gaara since we were genin so…" He still looked unconvinced but shrugged it off and instead reached over to grab her cereal. "Do you want a bowl-Hey! Don't just stick your dirty hand in there!" Ino yelled out getting ready to wrestle the cereal box out of his hand. Hayase laughed pulling back to stand with his much taller frame and arms.

"I showered this morning just so you know." Ino scoffed at him.

"I don't know that for sure! I know Kiba Inuzuka too well to know he didn't always shower! Plus who knows if you pick your nose." Hayase's jaw dropped allowing Ino to snatch her food back. She quickly closed it up and placed it back in the pantry.

"That hurts babe that really does." He then gave a shit eating grin. "But ya know if you were a bugger I'd pick you!" He pretended to pick his nose then pointed it at her. Ino laughed rolling her eyes at the childish pick up line. They both turned to the door as a knock came. Ino opened it up.

"Party at Ino's?" Temari asked looking between the two. Hayase popped up beside the younger blonde slinging his arm around her shoulders.

"Party of two to be exact." Ino rolled her eyes again before shoving him away and allowing the older blonde to enter.

"So I guess you already know about the meeting huh." She nodded just about to speak before the older male in the room beat her to it.

"Yeah, apparently Gaara felt that he should let her know at five in the morning." Temari stopped smiling and turned to Ino in question. Both blondes looked each other down.

"He was just trying to be considerate…that's what he said and it was six in the morning not five!" Ino yelled out turning to Hayase who shrugged his indifference as he once more sat on the couch. Temari looked between the two.

"It doesn't really matter; just strange…he's never done that before…" She mumbled at the end. Ino frowned at the two people in her room. She didn't think it meant anything really. Sure it was truly sweet of him but Ino was sure there was something else going on as the reason why he came to tell her first. Mostly it could be because this is her first meeting. Well really that's the only reason she could think of.

"It is my first meeting…" Ino commented as Temari nodded in thought. "So any other reason you both are here?" She directed her question to both of the occupants. Hayase gave her a dazzling smile.

"My morning isn't complete without seeing your wonderful smile." Temari rolled her eyes at his nonsense before looking back at Ino. "I came here to make sure you knew and to drill you a little bit about our village and our elders." Ino blinked as she saw the grave look on the older blonde's face. She glanced over to her flirty companion who seemed to share the same look. As if she wasn't nervous enough about the whole ordeal now she felt sick to her stomach. 'Maybe having that cereal wasn't such a good idea.' Ino thought moving to sit down in one of the arm chairs as Temari took a seat at the couch.

"Are they really that bad?" Ino couldn't help but ask, sure the elders of her village were set in their ways but they weren't terrible, just rough around the edges. The darker haired blonde leaned back crossing one leg over the other.

"They're like a viper snake; if they sense weakness or fear then they strike." Temari commented as Hayase laughed. "Good analogy!"

"I know this is your first time here and even as a liaison but it won't be a cake walk in this meeting." Ino bit the inside of her cheek trying to will her nerves to relax. "Being new they'll be ten times harder on you, and they'll nitpick you till you bleed. That's why Kankuro and I reacted the way we did when you told us you were new Ino. It's just one more thing a few of them can pit against Gaara." Ino frowned hearing this.

"What do you mean another thing they can 'pit against Gaara'? I mean I thought by now they would be alright with him being the village leader especially now that he's not a container anymore." Temari visibly flinched at the word 'container' and frowned at the floor.

"You would think so huh, but it doesn't seem to matter to some of them. Once a monster always a monster…" Hayase sighed deeply seeming to finally be serious if only for a moment.

"But you don't have to worry so much Ino! I'll be here for the rest of this month so I can help buffer some of their hate." Ino smiled at his words but it did nothing to ease her of her worry. Not only did she have to worry about not making a fool of herself and her village, but also of Gaara as the Kazekage too. Ino inwardly groaned wondering why it seemed that every time something was looking up for her there was something else trying to drag her down.

"Thanks Hayase." Ino smiled lightly but her nervousness was obvious to the both of them. Temari yawned loudly gaining both of their attentions.

"Well why don't we start heading towards the meeting rooms, its already hitting eight o'clock now." Ino blinked and looked up to the clock in surprise. Where did the time go? They all stood up heading out the door with Ino quickly locking it behind her. She was just about to follow them when her eyes turned to the other door beside hers. 'Is Kakashi awake yet? I'm sure he is but has he already gone?' Ino thought to herself. He wasn't really apart of the meeting per-say so there was no real reason for her to get him…yet…

"You guys go ahead." Temari scoffed dropping a hand to her hip.

"But you don't know where to go." She pointed out as Hayase nodded in agreement. Ino shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"I'll find my way around, don't worry!" She watched them walk away before turning back to Kakashi's door. She sighed deeply feeling less pressure now that those two were gone. Ino knew he didn't need to come but…she would feel ten times better if he was there, if only to support her. Over the years following her sensei, Asuma Sarutobi's death her team had gotten rather close to Kakashi and he was almost like a second sensei. The same could be said for Kurenai too, but she was more like another mother figure in Ino's life like Shikamaru's mother rather than a sensei. Breathing out slowly she brought her hand to knock on the door just as it opened up.

"Good morning Ino, did you need something?" Kakashi stood there in his usual ninja attire smiling underneath his mask at her. She blinked slowly before her nerves and panic finally caught up to her and she launched herself into him. "Uhf, Ino! Is everything alright?" He managed to mumble out after being slammed into the wall by the entrance. Ino buried her face in his chest and held onto him tightly. Kakashi sighed before circling his arms around her shoulders letting her get as much comfort from him as she could.

"I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei…" He shook his head, shrugging with no care in the world.

"I know you're afraid and nervous but I assure you Ino that there is nothing for you to fear." Kakashi pulled her away from his chest as she nodded. He lifted her chin up with his hand and patted her on the back. "Chin up Ino, you're a Yamanaka. You can do this." Ino slowly smiled feeling the encouragement she needed from him.

"Thank you, I just…got so panicked…" The blonde dropped her shoulders before sighing. Her jumbled nerves were still there but she wasn't so afraid anymore.

"Don't worry so much. Now let's head out for the meeting shall we." Her eyes went wide before a happy, bright smile came to her lips. They both headed out of his room then and as he locked it Ino frowned in thought.

"How do you know about the meeting?" Kakashi chuckled in secret looking at her over his shoulder as he started ahead of her.

"Well with all the commotion this morning how could I not?" Ino felt her face burn up. "Poor, poor Gaara standing there clueless as you left to primp up just for him." Ino chased after him in anger her face flaming red.

"That is not true Kakashi-sensei! Stop saying that!"….

* * *

Ino stood next to Hayase, Kakashi and Okei as she watched the villages' elders file in one after the other all the while not one of them even turned to greet her or glance at her. The blonde looked to both Konoha liaisons to see if this was normal and they both seemed to act as though it was so she said nothing. On the opposite side of them were Gaara and his siblings. They were all poised in bows even Gaara, and after they entered the doors were shut tightly. Ino frowned at the door before looking at the others for direction. Hayase smiled in relief stretching his arms up above his head while Okei walked over to talk with Temari and Kankuro.

"Is this normal for them to enter and leave us here?" Ino finally asked seeing as no one seemed incline to fill her in. Hayase looked at her for a moment and nodded.

"Yep, almost every meeting starts that way. They take about ten, fifteen minutes tops and then we hear a dung letting us know to enter." He shrugged afterwards. "I guess its tradition or a ritual of some sort, not sure what exactly they discuss for so long but that's how it has always been to be honest." Ino nodded her understanding though finding the whole operation strange. She could remember the times her father had been a part of meetings with the elders of Konoha and generally they all entered together though not without showing signs of respect to the elders first that is. Never had they just entered the meeting hall without the Kage with them. Ino looked over at Gaara; for all they knew those old bags of bones could be plotting against him.

Ino quickly looked to her left when Gaara looked up to meet her eyes. She really hoped her cheeks weren't coloring like she felt like they were.

"So I think for this meeting even though it's your first that you should take the lead in the discussion considering it's 'up your alley'." The blonde blinked in surprise whipping her head around to Hayase like he was speaking gibberish to her.

"What!? I thought I was just going to observe nothing else!" A pit grew in her stomach at the thought of him leaving her high and dry. The black haired man rolled his eyes.

"Well had you just came with Temari and I you would know what the meeting is about." She raised an eyebrow in question and he sighed before going on. "This meeting is to discuss about the medical field and improvements along with advancements. I know nothing of our medical system or Suna's for that matter, but you on the other hand will know exactly what they're talking about, so I feel that maybe you should take the lead if nothing else it'll make you look good in front of them." Ino dropped her eyes to the ground. He unfortunately had a point; she knew Konoha's medical system and procedures like the back of her hand, she out of anyone except Sakura herself, could answer anything they asked of her.

"I guess you're right, but still Hayase what if I screw up." He frowned deeply and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Ino I know I have only met officially you a few days ago but all I have seen is you undermining your skills and self. You need to stop thinking the worst of things and look on the brighter side, you can do this." His eyes then moved to look over her shoulder before a charming smile came to his lips. He started to walk around her saying over his shoulder, "Now if you will excuse me I have a lady to speak to."

"No wait! I'm not done talking with you!" Ino raised her hand out to him as if to reach out and physically pull him back to her before just dropping it as he continued on his way to the pretty brunette with folders in her arms. 'Womanizer.' She thought darkly while crossing her arms.

"You are nervous." The blonde jumped as Gaara appeared beside her watching as Hayase seemed to be striking out.

"Uh well yeah. I know how the village elders are like at home so I can only imagine what they are like here. Plus Hayase said he wants me to lead this one because it's 'up my alley'." Ino made quotation marks with her fingers. Gaara nodded, turning to face her better.

"So you're proficient in medicine?" Ino nodded.

"Yes, I trained under Lady Tsunade just like Sakura." Gaara nodded too before asking on.

"And you know the medical system well?" Ino frowned placing her hands on her hips.

"Like the back of my hand. I know it inside and out." Gaara frowned as well.

"Yet you feel inferior about your skills and knowledge." She shook her head quickly turning her heated eyes to his.

"No! That's not it at all! I know what I'm doing and I know anything medical probably better than Sakura does! I'm just nervous." Slowly a curve at the corner of his mouth lifted up in a sort of smile. At least that's what Ino thought it was (hoped).

"Then you will do just fine. You have nothing to worry about we have a similar system as Konoha. You will do well." Ino pulled back blinking slowly as she realized he just reversed her words. She then smiled at him.

"Thanks Gaara." Just then a dung sounded out in the hall causing everyone to go silent. Gaara looked towards the door and sighed before looking to catch her eyes.

"Here we go." He commented as he left her behind to enter first followed by Temari, Kankuro, Baki, and a few others she didn't know well. Once everyone from the village went in was when Ino with Okei and Hayase could enter. Kakashi followed not too far behind them.

Ino kept her head held high as she entered noticing a large rectangular table with the elder's sitting on either side of the long way while Gaara sat at the very end with Temari, Kankuro, and Baki standing behind him as his entourage.

"Since you'll be leading Ino you get to sit down while we stand behind you." Okei commented softly in her ear for only her to hear. She nodded wordlessly getting to the lone seat as Hayase pulled it out for her. Upon sitting Ino noticed the tense silence in the room and the eyes staring at her. She looked over to Gaara seated opposite herself as he prepared some papers in front of him. Among the elderly were nine men and one woman all in stages of graying and wrinkles and each with stony, unreadable faces and hard eyes. No one spoke as Gaara continued to look over his papers.

Ino tried not to squirm or fidget. Though they weren't looking directly at her she could still feel their judging eyes sizing her up. Ino has always been known for flourishing under the spotlight and rising to the occasion, yet at the moment all she really wanted to do was hide away. Finally after five whole minutes Gaara cleared his throat and began. "Before we begin this meeting I would like to introduce Ino Yamanaka, a Konoha liaison who will replace Okei Watanabe for the next few months."

Ino swallowed her fear as every eye officially looked her way. She quickly bowed her head. "Thank you for having me here." She said politely hearing light murmurs and mumbles.

"Continuing on, today's topic of discussion entails the advancement of medicine, protocols, and procedures of the hospital along with further exchange of medicine and medical style ninjutsu." Gaara handed off a stack of papers to Baki who proceeded to walk around the long table handing a few papers to each person. Ino smiled and nodded to the older ninja as she received the same papers.

Looking over her small stack she quickly read about the procedures and such. She nodded to herself seeing how true Gaara's words were about Suna's medical system being quite similar to her own villages. There were few differences like the emergency colors and protocols, the handling of patients, and how some of the rules and regulations were very…dated.

"I see nothing wrong with how we are running the hospital and training of medic-nins and the continuing of going over this subject every other mouth is very trying on my patience Kazekage." One of the elders commented with a dry and bored voice. He wore thick lens glasses with a high widow's peak ridding him of barely any hair on his head. Ino had noticed the man had barely looked over his papers as he kept his arms crossed and a deeply etched frown on his face.

Another elderly man sighed in barely contented annoyance while rubbing his wrinkled forehead. He had no hair what so ever with only liver spots here and there on top of his head. His eyes were somewhat beady in appearance while his nose practically took over his face. When he spoke his voice came out sounding more like a frog.

"Shigeki let's not start with your patience; you barely have any as it is. If Lord Kazekage believes a change needs to happen then you should turn that hearing aid of yours up and listen!" Both men instantly fired back and forth insults and from the looks of it this happened to be a normal occurrence.

"Gentlemen please let's get back to the actual subject of topic." The lone elderly woman said in a soft voice. Her eyes were closed as she spoke not once opening. Her hair was so gray it looked just about silver like Kakashi's hair and it was long with one thick braid going down her back. She had crow's feet at the corners of her eyes and laughing lines around her mouth. There were some wrinkles here and there but she looked rather young then her possible age truly was.

"Lady Fusa is right! We should be acting our ages. I agree with Shigeki though, our hospital has been doing just fine the way it is, instead we should place our focus on more children entering the ninja academy and building our military." His voice rang loud around the room and it took everything in Ino to not frown and snort.

"Wakaki has a point." A man who looked a good ten years younger than the rest with black hair slowly graying from bottom to top said quietly. He aged well enough and must have been quite the looker a few years back with his straight pointed nose and bright blue eyes to contrast with his mostly dark hair that was pulled back into a low pony-tail. "As much as we need to advance our medical system, our military corps are suffering and dwindling as we speak. I, of all people, know how truly remarkable having improvements to our hospital could do for our village, but at this moment military power should come first."

Ino withheld a flinch when he slammed his hand down on the table at the end of his speech. Mild irritation started to form in her chest. 'What was the point in strengthening your military when your hospital is so old fashioned?' Ino thought in slight disgust of the man. "Would you like to interject Miss Yamanaka?" Ino looked over in surprise at Lady Fusa as she was addressed with the older woman's eyes still closed. The blonde then nodded.

"I do have a few things to say, but I would hate to step on anybody's toes." Shigeki quickly responded back with his cold, dry voice.

"Then maybe you should not speak if you are not willing to step on anyone's toes." Ino felt a glare coming to her face and turned it to a frown instead, she looked across the table to catch Gaara's eyes. His arms were crossed as usual with his black expression; his eyes though urged her on.

"Well I guess I will be stepping on quite a few toes then." Ino shifted through her papers before coming across the sheets about the hospital procedures. "To inform all of you who may not know I work as a medic-nin on a regular basis and have worked in the hospital in Konoha since I was fifteen. I've been trained right under Sakura Haruno and our 5th Hokage."

"So you have a fine pedigree-."

"Yes, I do." Ino cut off Chuugo as he openly glared his blue eyes at her. "This makes me qualified to say that practically everything about your hospital is so dated I'm surprised your system hasn't fallen apart yet." Gaara's brows went down in a frown and brought his hand to hold up his chin.

"What do you mean by 'yet'?" He asked letting his eyes roam the room for any objections. Ino could tell a few held their tongues in response to her accusations. She then brought her eyes to meet his.

"For starters how much money goes into the up keep of your hospital?" Of course Shigeki snorted loudly in disbelief.

"We cannot possibly give you that type of information!" Ino shrugged carelessly.

"Then give me a percentage, you don't have to give me a specific number." Shigeki seemed ready to go on when Gaara cut him off.

"About fifteen percent." Ino couldn't help the widening of her eyes. 'Fifteen percent? No wonder their system was slowly failing.'

"And out of that fifteen percent how much goes into paying the staff?"

"My best estimate would be…eight point seventy-five percent." Ino felt a sense of relief knowing she didn't work at their hospital. If she was doing the math somewhat correctly in her head then most of the staff at Suna's hospital barely hit the minimum wage set by the village they lived in. Having seen the price of food and water alone the last few days Ino was surprised that any of the staff could survive on their own.

"Research and development?" Gaara looked up in thought.

"Three percent, maybe four percent."

"What about mechanical up keep of machinery?"

"Three, four percent." Ino felt her mouth go dry as she thought of her last question. She almost dreaded hearing the percentage she was surely to get.

"Medical training of current and new staff?" Gaara frowned deeply in thought. He even started looking through some papers before seemingly giving up with a sigh.

"As far as I know…maybe one percent...or less…" Ino starred straight at Gaara in disbelief. The thought of these village leaders having this discussion without any knowledge of their own medical system or even conversing with a medical profession scared her to death. 'Holy hell, how did they last so long?' She thought as a headache started to come on.

"So," Chuugo said crossing his arms, "What difference does that truly make?" Ino looked at him like he grew another head on his shoulders. Seeing the smirk on his lips she found herself thinking 'fuck formalities' and glared heatedly at him.

"What difference does that make? Mr. Chuugo have you ever worked at Suna's hospital?" He shook his head 'no'. "Have you ever dropped by to see and speak with the staff there?" Once more his head said 'no'. "So you don't know one thing about your village's hospital except for the times you spent there in injury or sickness; am I correct?" Ino's voice came out sharp and demanding surprising the few who knew or have gotten to know her.

"Two years ago I almost lost my leg to amputation." Chuugo said darkly, not appreciating the liberties Ino was taking with him.

"And as I can see you have a limp when you walk and you possibly have to use crutches at times right." Ino stated knowing she was right. Chuugo chose not to speak instead leaning back from the table and crossing his arms, she went on. "Did you know with proper funding of research and development you wouldn't have a limp at all? Or had the staff been updated on new procedures and regulations, not to mention new techniques that all of the ninja villages around the world know that also would have saved you from a limp." Ino pushed out of her chair to stand.

"You talk of wanting to expand and strengthen your military yet you overly neglect the medical field. How far do all of you think you can go without a proper medical system? You already rank 5th among the five great ninja villages, if you keep this up you won't even be that." Shouts of outrage and anger rang within the room as agreements and insults exploded filling the air around them. Ino frankly heard none of it as she continued her staring contest with Gaara. He closed his eyes with a nod before calling out, "Silence."

Instantaneously the room went silent. "Yamanaka if you will please reseat yourself." Ino slowly sat back down.

"Can you please give me your best estimate of how much Konoha puts into the medical field?" Ino thought for about a second before answering, "I'm pretty certain it's forty to forty-five percent." Gaara nodded to her then addressed everyone else at the table.

"As much as none of us wanted to hear it Yamanaka makes a very good argument. In order for our people, our village to advance and expand we must start with our medical system. How do we hope to better our people if we cannot save them when they are sick or dying? How do we expect to become stronger when our ninja become crippled and taken out of the field?" His eyes went straight to Chuugo who frowned deeply but kept his eyes on the wood of the table.

"What's the first thing you do after war?" Ino suddenly said bringing the room's attention back to her. "What's the first thing you do when you're hurt, scared, or traumatized?" No immediate answers came; the blonde waited a moment longer before sighing softly. "You heal, after everything is all said and done you heal. You don't jump up to train or fight. You rest and heal first to fight another day. And that's what Suna has to do is rest and heal…otherwise you'll just kill yourself in the end…" The room remained silent before Lady Fusa spoke, her eyes opened to reveal dark green eyes.

"Miss Yamanaka is right." She commented smiling over to Ino before turning to Gaara. "Please Lord Kazekage; tell us your ideas and thoughts."…

Ino sighed in relief once the meeting was over. Four hours of discussion but they finally were stepping forward and taking the initiative to do better and become better instead of taking a step backwards like they have been doing for so long. Ino relaxed in her seat as everyone slowly filed out of the room. Going back to sleep sounded like an amazing idea at the moment but wasn't going to be realized.

"You are one amazing chick, ya know that?" Hayase dropped his hand to her shoulder and patting it with a smile. Okei nodded in agreement. "You did marvelous my dear."

Temari shut the double doors before turning around with a giant grin threatening to split her cheeks. "This meeting is a complete success and its all thanks to you Ino." Said blonde yawned and shrugged her shoulders in nonchalant.

"All I did was piss some old people off, nothing that great." Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"You're kidding right? Don't be so damn modest, do you even know how many meetings we had with no success on this subject?" Ino shook her head and moved to stand.

"I only did my job, and it was the truth." Kankuro opened his mouth to speak but a different voice came out.

"Thank you, Ino." Her eyes opened wider as they all looked to the still seated Kazekage. "In no short effort from you I was able to tip the scales and make some progress. For months I fought to better the medical field here and in just a few short hours I made more progress than I have before and all thanks to you." Ino blushed lightly at the praise she got from Gaara and even more so from the brightness in his face though he did not smile she could tell he was very happy and pleased with the outcome of today.

"Well then you're welcome." Kakashi smiled. After that morning he was just a tad fearful of leaving her here in Suna by herself but seeing the display of her strength and passion he wasn't so fearful anymore.

"You did a great job Ino. I'm proud of you." Ino blinked rapidly for a second before turning quickly to Kakashi. She looked at him as though it was the first time she noticed him there. 'For a second there…I thought I heard my Dad's voice…'

"Something wrong?" Kakashi asked seeing the clueless surprise on her face. Ino shook her head. "No…no, nothing at all."

"So I say we celebrate by me making dinner tonight!" Temari smiled at everyone only to start frowning then glaring when no one responded. Crossing her arms the older blonde sighed. "Fine, we'll just go somewhere…" She mumbled darkly turning away from everyone in defeat.

Ino laughed. So maybe being here wasn't going to be as horrible or nerve wrecking as she thought like in the beginning. She proved herself to Suna's elder leaders and even to Gaara, his siblings, and her villages' ninja. Now it finally seemed like the worst was behind her…

If only she knew how wrong she was…

* * *

**S**o this came out much longer than it should have but I hope you all enjoyed it! I was seriously worried about the whole meeting thing but I started writing everything out at work when it was slow and next thing I know I have finished the rest of the chapter! As for the Konoha liaisons I put in there, they are actual characters in the series. I didn't want to make too many OC's because the elders of Suna were already OC since I didn't know any info of them or anything. I'm only guessing on the personalities too, but I hope you guys like them too! Let me know what you guys thought! I am pretty happy with the ending factor myself, lol.

ALCzysz17


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

**Sweet Misery**

**Chapter 6**

Ino waved her hand above the crowd to catch Temari's attention. The older blonde waved back and started to head her way.

It was eleven in the morning and people were out and about before it became one in the afternoon when the sun is highest in the sky and being outside becomes almost unbearable. There was a nice cool breeze blowing through though and Ino sighed in relief. Today Temari promised to take her to get some specialized clothes to better regulate her body temperature along with the temp from outside.

For the past week things had been rather hectic for the sand siblings. Kankuro was away on a two week mission, Temari was handling the border control schedules and such, and finally Gaara was busy with the new preparations for the hospital and budgeting for it along with whatever issues he had to deal with. Ino had helped as much as she could but some of the elders didn't want her too involved in their village's politics and financial issues. She didn't care much but it bugged her how untrustful most of them were of her. Hayase told her not to take it personal; they didn't trust Konoha all that much anyway. Of course there were a few like Lady Fusa for one who is on Gaara's side and helping them with her influence. Ino rather liked the older lady; she had spunk that's for sure.

Everything though boiled down to the people of Suna. It was all really political and based on the fact that many residents of Suna felt they depended way too much on Konoha as it is. Ino could understand the reasoning behind it, but it wasn't like Suna wasn't helping her village either. It made her wonder if anyone back home felt the village depended too much on Suna as well. They were very close villages which was kind of abnormal. Sure all the great villages were on friendly terms and after the war started to meet once a year to discuss politics among other things, but none of the other three villages (Rock, Cloud, and Mist) were as close as Konoha is with Suna. Ino thought that was a great thing, but apparently not everyone felt the same. The thought of Konoha brought up Kakashi and Okei.

They both left two days ago and it sadden Ino greatly to see both go (mostly the latter). She knew she could do her job here without Kakashi there but that didn't change the fact that it made her nervous to be alone here all the same. Sure Hayase was still here for another month but he was only so helpful compared to Okei. Then there were the thoughts about her father's killer and the clue they came upon. This also bugged her; she couldn't be out there searching for more clues. Ino was very much a 'do it your self-er'. If something needed to be done she rather do it herself than delegate the job to someone else.

If you want something done right the first time then you do it yourself. That's how she saw it, so leaving Kakashi and Shikaku to find more clues and figure things out was killing her on the inside. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, out of anyone in the world she was more than happy that they were on her side and helping her out but…Ino guessed it was because it was her father who died, so it was more her responsibility to do the hard work and answer the hard questions. As selfish as it was she wanted the satisfaction of capturing her father's killer and putting that miserable soul in its place.

Ino smiled brightly as she moved through the crowd to meet Temari halfway. Needless to say it was a busy week for all.

"Hey Ino!" Temari called out as she flung some sand off her face.

"Wow is the wind that bad out there?" Ino asked reaching over to brush off more sand from her shoulders. Temari sighed in annoyance as she nodded.

"Yeah, a sandstorm is going by further in the west. We're just getting the tail end of it." Ino figured that was a good thing. It also made her wonder though what it was like to be in a sandstorm…well of course inside during it.

"What's it like being in a sandstorm?" Ino followed Temari down a corner street as they cut over to another main street. It was just as crowded if not more so here than the last street.

"Loud." Temari stated. "The wind is extremely loud, it rattles the windows and the sand burns when your outside. It's like a rug burn but far worse. My first 2nd degree burn came from being outside when a sandstorm was coming." Temari leaned against a booth and started to lift her skirt up. Ino eyed her over before looking to see if anyone was watching them. "See." Temari commented.

Ino turned back to her to see a wrinkled, dry patch right in the middle of her thigh. It was slightly lighter than her tan skin and looked to be old. "When did that happen?" Ino asked she looked it over for a second before Temari let her skirt down. She looked up to the clear, cloudless sky in thought.

"I was about ten when it happened, I had been training when the sky grew dark and I heard the wind get louder. I decided to stay put and keep training, I thought I was such a badass in doing so. But then I got hit in the thigh by a wad of sand and high tailed it in the house." Ino laughed along with her.

"Did you ever get it checked out?" Temari shook her head with a shrug.

"No, at the time I thought of it as a battle scar. Now though…not so much. I've tried everything to get rid of it but nothing works." Temari said dejectedly. Ino frowned. There really wasn't much that could be done for a ten year old burn.

"Maybe I can look it over later today? I might have something that can help, I brought a few lotions and salves just in case since I'm so fair skinned." The older blonde nodded in agreement.

"Yeah sounds like a plan. So how about-." Temari stopped just as a man collapsed in front of them. He wheezed desperately, curling up into a ball and clutching at his throat. Ino gasped before dropping to her knees at his side forcing him on his back. "Ino!"

"He's extremely dehydrated!" Ino called out concentrating her chakra as her hand started to glow a light blue. Her hand slowly went over his throat finding it closing in on itself from lack of moisture. Though there was a breeze the air was very humid and dry. "Someone get me some water, something!" Ino turned over her shoulder just as Temari reached over a booth snatching a bottle of water from the owner.

Ino quickly took hold of the water bottle unscrewing the top and flinging that over her shoulder before forcing the older gentleman in front of her to pucker his lips and allow the water to enter his mouth. Slowly he drank and soon enough the water was all gone. He coughed roughly a few times, trying to clear his throat just as two med-nins of Suna appeared in the crowd around them. A male ninja about her age dropped down next to her with a slightly smile.

"How is he doing?" He asked as the other male med-nin got down to his knees with a portable gurney. Quickly with Ino's help they got it underneath the man as she answered, "He's extremely dehydrated, but I was able to get a bottle of water down his throat." Both ninjas nodded their understanding. They were then up and going, leaving the area and heading to the hospital not far from them.

"Wow that was something huh Ino." Temari said placing a hand on the younger blonde's shoulder. Ino watched as the man and med-nins left, she turned then to follow them as well. Temari blinked rapidly before following her friend. "Hey where are you going?"

"I want to make sure he's okay, plus I have yet to see the hospital." Ino replied over her shoulder as Temari walked faster to catch up with her.

The hospital was pretty big, nothing compared to Konoha's hospital, but decent size for the village Ino supposed. It could be bigger. Upon entering though she was assaulted with complete chaos. Nurses, doctors, and medical ninja's were running around with absolutely no organization whatsoever. The head desk was swamped with folders, papers, and about five women trying to make sense of it all. Ino glanced at Temari briefly to see she didn't seem to see anything wrong. This was normal? Ino frowned deeply as she followed the men through two double swinging doors. The further she walked through the hospital the worse it got.

People were getting helped, and sent on their way but at a very slow pace. Ino was fearful of what she would see on the other levels of the hospital. What would it be like on the surgery floor? At one point she had asked a few patients how long they have been waiting to be seen. The times were outrageous. One woman waited almost two hours just to get her wrist looked over for a simple sprain. Another woman had been waiting an hour for her son to get his leg checked out. Though they were simple, the waiting times didn't make sense. Ino and Temari stopped at the door of the dehydrated man who was getting checked out as they looked on.

"Is it normal to be this chaotic?" Temari shrugged her shoulders.

"Generally yes, but I don't have to wait so long. Then again I am the Kazekage's sister…" Ino nodded as she frowned at her surroundings. There seemed to be little doctors or nurses around and that bothered her greatly. For the size of the hospital there should be tons of medical staff running around this place keeping it in order, but from the looks of it they barely had enough people covering everything.

"Hey let me know how he's doing okay? I wanna check something out." Temari rolled her eyes but nodded. Ino stuck her tongue out at her then left back the way they came. She dodged some people walking fast through the hall and narrowly avoided losing her nose at the swinging doors. She stopped at the front desk waiting for one of the ladies to notice her.

"Um excuse me?" Ino tried after five minutes of just standing there waiting. One woman with dark hair and dark eyes looked up from what she was doing and had the gale to frown at her. 'Well excuse me for wanting some damn attention.' Ino thought in mild annoyance.

"Yes, miss is there anything I can do for you?" She said in a very bothered and annoyed tone. Ino brought in her anger trying to not unleash it upon her poor misguided soul.

"Yes, you can." Ino started out getting a look from the older woman. "How many doctors are here today?" The woman scoffed at her and sighed deeply. She slowly as though hoping that if she took her sweet time Ino would just give up then and there. After a moment she replied back, "Today there are about twenty-five to thirty doctors working at the moment."

Ino frowned, for how big the hospital was there should be far more doctors running around than that much. "How about nurses?" The woman scoffed again, clicking her tongue in annoyance as she fished around for another folder, before long she seemed to give up herself. She threw her hands in the air openly glaring at her. "I don't honestly know about the same, what does it matter?"

"Well there's quite a few people waiting for hours on end to be looked at, I thought you all should know that." Ino commented heatedly giving her a good glare of her own. The woman didn't even bat an eye before shrugging her shoulders.

"That's the norm honey, take a number and go away." 'Damn, such hospitality.' Ino stepped back from the desk in case the woman decided to jump over the counter at her. Turning away she thought to herself while walking back to Temari.

'There should be up to fifty or so doctors running around not twenty-five. Not only that but there should also be more nurses than doctors running around too. This place is complete and total chaos, there's no organization from the front desk to the doctors running the hospital. What the hell is the hospital director doing?' Ino came to a stop by Temari's side.

"Did you know there are only about thirty doctors here? Or that there's barely any nurses too? Ugh don't get me started on the organization of this place or how old some of the equipment is. They still use an old filing cabinet for patient folders rather than having a computer." Temari tried not to laugh and snicker as Ino went on and on about the hospital.

"Well he's doing fine if you wanted to know." She managed to get in as the other blonde slowed down her ranting. Sighing deeply Ino threw her hands into the air.

"I knew it wouldn't be pretty seeing this place, but I am in total shock over it! I can only imagine what the other floors look like." Ino stopped for a second as a thought came to her mind. Did Gaara know about his? Of course he should being the Kazekage of the village and all, but did he truly know the whole extent of the issues this hospital had? Once more Ino turned around ready to race off as Temari called after her, "Hey! Where the hell are you going now!?"

"I need to talk with Gaara!" Ino yelled back as she pushed pass the double doors almost taking out someone else this time. She quickly apologized and then was off again heading back to the Kazekage tower.

Ino could feel the sweat dripping off of her from the heat baking down on her as she ran out of the hospital. It was almost instant and that bugged the crap out of her. Though it was important what she wanted to tell Gaara on the inside she was crying at her chance to get some nice clothes today. Sure she could get them tomorrow or the next day, but she really wanted them today. The blonde took an alley way between two big buildings and came out closer to the tower than she had been before. More sweat came down from her hairline and further down her face. The blast of cool air as she came into the building gave her much relief.

The receptionist looked up slowly only to see it was her before looking back down at some book or magazine that she was reading. Ino didn't mind, she had more important things to do. Walking pass her but this time taking a left than a right she took a set of stairs up to the second floor passing a few people as she went. They watched her go by with curiosity in their eyes. This was the first time she had ever gone up there alone, she only seen Gaara's office once a few days ago. She remembered him telling her that if she was having any issues or needed something to come right to him so here she was. His door was far different from Tsunade's door, for one her's were double doors while Gaara's is just a single door. Another difference being that Gaara's door was rather plain, no designs on it representing the village or even the Kage within.

If Ino hadn't been brought there before she wouldn't have known where his office was.

Breathing out softly she brought her hand up and knocked on the door. Listening carefully a mumbled 'come in' was heard through the door. Ino smiled lightly and opened the door allowing her entry. Gaara was currently hunched over his desk working on loads of paper work and didn't bother to look up from his writing. She closed the door quickly and walked mid way up to his desk waiting for him to acknowledge her. After a moment of silence he looked up.

"Ino…" He mumbled her name softly sending a chill down her spine. Ino wondered where that feeling came from and why he was the one to cause it as Gaara moved to sit straight at his desk. "Please have a seat." He said more clearly waving a hand out to one of two chairs in front of his desk. Ino smiled brightly, she placed herself down looking up to catch his eyes with hers. "Is there something you needed?" He then asked giving her his full attention.

"Actually yes, I need your ear for a moment." Blinking with confusion at her rather curious statement Ino went on, "I need you to hear me out. I went to the hospital today after an old man fell down in front of Temari and me. I wanted to be sure he was alright and followed to the hospital and what I found…" Ino shook her head sighing as she remembered the sight. "It was horrible! I can't even begin to tell you all the things wrong with that hospital if it can even be called that!" Ino tried to keep herself from jumping to her feet. Gaara looked to be unfazed by her outrage he only stared at her with a calculating look.

"Why don't you tell me your thoughts anyway?" He closed up some folders and scrolls setting them aside before leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. Ino felt a sort of flutter in her gut at having his full attention. She ignored the feeling as she started putting her thoughts together on the subject.

"Well for starters there's absolutely no organization whatsoever. The nurse's station looks like a hurricane hit it and I can tell none of the nurses can get anything done like that. There are people waiting hours upon hours to get looked at regardless of the severity of their injuries or sickness. Not to mention the machines you have are so out-dated that I can't wrap my mind around it. The system this hospital runs on is so flawed and it's like no one cares…" Ino sighed bringing a hand to run through her long bangs. Gaara watched the movement absorbing what she told him. "I thought simply adding more funding for the hospital would help it out more, but from the looks of it you seriously need a professional running that place and whoever is in charge now needs to get fired!"

"You're hired." Ino whipped her head up from looking at the ground so quick she felt a pop go off in her neck. She stared at the Kazekage like he had seriously gone insane.

"Wait…what?" Gaara merely shrugged his shoulders meeting her gaze head on.

"You're hired; you said my hospital needs a professional running the place. After the last meeting I trust your judgment and knowledge in the medical field." He then turned his gaze over to the right where Ino followed. There on the wall by two giant shelves full of books and scrolls were a couple of framed photos hanging on the wall. Ino noticed one with Gaara and his siblings and another with him and Naruto. She then located a picture of an older woman well in her seventies with wrinkles framing her mouth and eyes. "Chiyo use to be my advisor for the hospital, she helped the current hospital director maintain everything, but since she passed on…"

"Okay, so this hospital director needs direction? Seems a bit like a paradox if you ask me." Gaara gave her a half lifted smile at her joke and nodded.

"He is very…old school and out-dated. Chiyo was essentially the hospital director without holding the title. She didn't want all the responsibility but she also didn't want to see anything bad happen with the hospital. I've just been so busy with other things of importance…" Ino nodded crossing her left leg over her right tapping a finger gently against her kneecap.

"I understand and I would love to help but I don't think your elders would especially like it. Not only that," The blonde lifted a finger to her chin in thought, "you would have to get an approval from Lady Tsunade considering I'm just a liaison and this is not a part of my job subscription." Gaara shrugged his shoulders again.

"I can get all of this arranged in maybe a week or two. This would really help the village out and myself, I appreciate your help." Ino laughed lightly trying to will herself to not blush cherry red. The fluttery feeling came back so Ino hide her right hand out of his sight as she clinched it tightly.

"Who said I agreed to this?" She questioned jokingly smiling brightly to him in case he didn't catch the joke. Gaara raised an eyebrow in answer before his eyes moved up to the left towards a clock on the wall.

"It's twelve-thirty right now, why don't I treat you to lunch as a 'thank you'." Ino blinked rapidly.

"You want to treat me?" Gaara nodded pushing his chair back to stand walking around his desk and heading for the door.

Ino reminded seated for a moment in deep thought. It wasn't the fact that he wanted to treat her to lunch that perplexed her, it was the fact that somehow her little vacation was turning out to be nothing but work. She thought the worst she would have to deal with is a few meetings and the hot sun, now she also had to help a hospital director who seems to have no idea what he's doing and help shape up a really out of shape hospital. Ino felt her mind spin a little at the thought. She knew she could do it; it would just be a lot of hard work.

"Ino?" Blinking again she jumped out of her seat turning to see Gaara holding the door open and looking at her expectedly. Smiling softly at him she started to walk towards him thinking if it helped him then maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all…

* * *

**I** know I left you guys hanging and with such a small chapter at that! Sorry about that but there will be more in the next chapter including the lunch Gaara will treat to Ino. A little one on one interaction between those two is needed. I just wanted to jump start the interest Ino will have in him including getting her more immersed in Gaara's life. I feel a little bad about Temari though…Ino sort of ditched her didn't she? Lol! I'll make it up to her later I promise. I'm out…

ALCzysz17


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